Email attacks and snowbound kitties

As I write this, the latest typhoon is making landfall. In this case, it is typhoon Saola. ZH and GZ self-defense forces are on alert, and for the population it is “all hands on deck” in readiness. It is a “Super Typhoon” of level 17. Could be brutal. (Of course, by the time you all read this, the event will be long over.) We are braced, and all of our activities are in postponement mode.

…

I found out why all the emails to laobangbh@163.com never reached me.

It seems that I was a victim of numerous “saturation attacks” where thousands of emails spam my inbox. The objective of these kinds of attacks is to render your email system inert and useless, as most email accounts have a limit on how many emails can exist.

I have been trying to erase the emails. The 163 software only allow batches of 10 to 20 emails at a time (page by page). I have 73,652 pages of attack emails interspersed with an occasional email of value.

I figure that it will take me half a year to clean out the mails if I devote about 20 minutes a day to erase the emails manually. I am thinking about contacting the 163 server for assistance, but my Chinese is shit in specialized situations such as this, and I am not VIP on this account. Ugh!

…

Back in the 1990s my wife and I had some friends that we used to “hang out” with. We would drink beer and play video games or watch a movie or two. They also had a cat.

It was one frigid Winter night in January while we were inside, and their cat was in heat. It was driving “Misty” our friend, bonkers. But outside was a howling blizzard, and the temperature was -20F, hardly healthy, and quite dangerous. But, I well remember, while the cat was standing at the door howling… she opened the door and let her out saying “go out and have fun, you slut”, and then slammed it shut.

I don’t know what happened to the kitty. Knowing cats, it probably found some kind of shelter. But, still…

For me, I greatly lament what happened. Why didn’t I stop her?

Well, it happened too quickly. It occurred and was over long before I could react.

And there, somewhere in the swirling snow, and darkness, the kitty went to follow her instincts. Right or wrong.

…

We all have to be more aware of the things going on around us. More mindful. More careful and more compassionate.

Todays…

The results of the BRICS summit are great, isolation as a weapon of the USA has been defeated forever — Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova

“It is not BRICS that threatens the United States of America, it is the state of the USA, its liberal economy, the neoliberal model. I think that the expansion of BRICS will not be some kind of cold shower for the USA, Great Britain and the EU. I think it is too soft and too light a term. It will become a new reality for everyone, and it will be a demonstration of this new reality that they hide and do not show on American channels,” she said.

WOW!! OLIVER ANTHONY I WANT TO GO HOME (EMOTIONAL)

What exactly changes when a country joins BRICS? Other than being invited to the meetings does BRICS membership have any advantages for countries which join?

BRICS has very few advantages to countries that aren’t a direct threat to the WEST and are thus ignored by the WEST

It’s why Indonesia wasn’t very keen to join BRICS

It enjoys a relatively nice and non aligned foreign policy and isn’t a threat to any one and enjoys business with China and the West equally

Thus no advantages in joining BRICS and a lot of disadvantages including joining a group consisting two nations bitterly opposed to US Hegemony

Same reason why Nigeria is unlikely to join BRICS

Nigeria is already a member of the BRI and has very good trade relationships with China but also has a good relationship with the West who doesn’t really care much about Nigeria because today it’s irrelevant

So it’s joining BRICS is irrelevant

Today the only nations that can have huge advantages in joining BRICS are those nations which are :-

Directly in the sight of the Western Nations and are at risk of being caught out by sudden cut off from access to the West and it’s financial systems like RUSSIA, SAUDI ARABIA, CHINA and IRAN
Have Non Democratic Stable Rule that is deemed as Dictatorship by the West who will meddle for subservience – Saudi Arabia, Iran, China etc
Have experienced the high handedness of the West and realize the safety in joining an Alliance that offers an alternate route to avoid chaos and disaster that could arise from a western retaliation – UAE, IRAN, SAUDI ARABIA, RUSSIA
Want to have a foot in two camps to avoid being completely dependent on either side – BRAZIL, INDIA
Have been so badly destroyed by the Western Financial System despite having lots of resources that they HAVE to join an alternate alliance for some stability and development – CUBA, VENEZUELA, ARGENTINA

BRICS is a protection from the West in case the West decides to pull a Russia again

Thus it’s not for 90% of the nations of the world

Algeria, Myanmar, Cuba, Venezuela, Syria, Libya, Turkey are other countries who would have tremendous advantages

This rises a question

Does India have any advantages?

Yes

A Foot in both camps

India is a member of QUAD and SCO

India is a member of BRICS and G20

It offers options and high leverage

However I don’t see a future for India in BRICS+ for very long

It’s basically becoming a “Anti Western Group” and India and Brazil and South Africa will find fewer common ground items than China, Russia, Saudi and Iran

Au Jus Beef and Noodles

Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients

2 pounds stew beef meat
2 (7 ounce) cans sliced mushrooms, undrained
2 cups beef broth
1 (1 ounce) package dry au jus gravy mix
Worcestershire sauce to taste
Salt, pepper, garlic salt to taste
Hot cooked noodles

Instructions

Place stew meat in slow cooker.
Add beef broth and mushrooms.
Add seasonings to taste and sprinkle in au jus gravy mix to taste.
Cover; cook on LOW for 7 to 8 hours.
Serve over hot cooked noodles.

Notes

Store any leftover gravy mix in a cool, dry place in an airtight container.

What was it like to live in pre-1949 Shanghai?

My mother lived and worked in Shanghai from 1945 – 1949. She kept a diary during the time she was there. You can read about it here: An interesting diary

My mother came from a privileged family in late Qing and Republican China; she grew up in a famous hutong home in Beijing, and her father was the controller of the Peking – Hankow Railway when it was built, owned and managed by the French following the Boxer Rebellion. She went to missionary schools and spoke English from an early age.

She lived and worked in Shanghai after the Allies, including the Republic of China (the People’s Republic did not yet exist) defeated Japan. She worked with the United Nations Refugee Relief Association (UNRRA) office in Shanghai.

The thing to remember about Shanghai is that it was, until 1942, a foreign treaty port, which was organized into something called the Shanghai International Settlement. After 1942, the Unequal Treaties which made the treaty port system possible was abolished, and it became part of the Republic of China.

The interesting thing about the Shanghai of that time is that a horse-racing track occupied the city center, which was called the 跑馬汀。If you go to Shanghai now, it is called People’s Square. The racetrack was abolished by the Communists after 1949.

The two best-known universities in Shanghai were St. John’s for men, and St. Mary’s for women. These were founded by the British, and were Anglican.

This may surprise you, but there actually were Chinese who had grown up and lived in Shanghai who were so westernized that they DID NOT SPEAK CHINESE, but only English. My mother had several cousins who were like this. They did not fare well under the Communists after 1949.

I have not had the time to go through all of my mother’s diaries, but I read one entry where she mentioned going dancing one evening at a nightclub called Argentina.

Sometimes I think about tracking down where that nightclub once stood.

Reacting to Oliver Anthony – “Rich Men North of Richmond” | Wilson Brothers

Why are Asians under the illusion that eating with chopsticks is difficult or even some kind of art form that’s hard to learn for foreigners?

It’s not difficult to use chopsticks at all.
And it certainly isn’t an art form.
Using chopsticks is just the most efficient, most practical way for many Asians (not all Asians, of course) to consume our meals.

My niece started using chopsticks when she was about 3 years old.
She might not have held them the “proper” way, but as long as she could eat with them, it was all good.
She was a 3-year-old kid – expectations were quite low.

How hard can using chopsticks be if a 3-year-old can do it?
Come on now.

What is the example of nature being so cruel?

There is a place called Jigokudani Hot Spring in Japan, where there is a kind of “Snow Monkey”. Every winter, snow and snow. It is very cold, and the temperature will drop to about 30 °C.

Fortunately, there are many hot springs in that place. Hot springs can reach about 40 degrees, so the monkeys there learned how to soak in hot springs. The view of a group of monkeys leisurely taking a leisurely dip in the hot springs is very good to many people. Therefore, this place has gained fame as a special tourist destination.

Some people may feel very warm looking at these photos, but they are like both sides of a coin. Tourists only see the warm side.

In fact, not all monkeys can take hot springs. There is a strict hierarchy among monkeys. Only high-grade monkeys can take hot springs, and low-grade monkeys cannot take hot springs no matter how cold they are. They cannot tolerate the cold, but once in the water, they will be bitten and expelled by high-level monkeys, so they can only shiver in the air and snow.

There is a temperature difference of about 70 degrees inside and outside the hot spring. Sometimes that’s the difference between life and death. Moreover, this system is “hereditary”. Low-grade monkey-producing monkeys are also not eligible to take hot springs. In other words, some monkeys naturally belong to the vulnerable group, which is unfair.

NATO CROSSES RUSSIA’S RED LINE | SCOTT RITTER ON CHINA’S WARNING TO BIDEN | PUTIN VISITS XI + MORE!

Russia is not stupid, neither they will not forget. They will retaliate.

What are the best examples of a good luck and a bad luck occurring simultaneously?

Sotria Kritsornis was standing waiting for the bus to take her to school. The snow was coming down hard, and she was stood in the cold for an hour. As she stood waiting, a car pulled up beside her and rolled down his window. “I’ve come down Rainer Avenue, and that’s a long way, and there’s no bus in sight. Would you like a Ride?”

22-year-old Sotria didn’t feel anything off with the man. He was polite and charming, and they were the same age. Everything seemed relaxed as the guy driving began talking about school. When she suddenly realised he was going in the wrong direction, the man’s demeanour changed.

He suddenly began shouting at her, “Why did you take this ride? Why did you even think about getting in this car? You’re never going to make it to school.”

Sotria knew there and then that her life was in extreme danger. She thought about jumping from the moving car, but when she went for the door handle, it was gone. She sat in the car terrified as he continued to scream at her. There was no doubt in her mind that she was in the presence of evil, and it was only a matter of when.

Suddenly the man’s demeanour changed again, he almost seemed disappointed. Sotria had just gotten a haircut and was wearing a hat since it was snowing out. The man driving seemed distracted by her hat and suddenly asked her to take it off.

She was reluctant and when she did take it off the man was surprised. She suddenly realised the man must have been watching her before she got the haircut. He continued to drive for about an hour, before stopping outside her school.

He shoved her out of the car and onto the ground with some force before turning to Sotria and telling her she was lucky.

About a year later, Sotria was at home watching telly. A news report flashed across the screen and her blood ran cold. A picture of a man and his “Volkswagen Bug” appeared on the telly. A man who went by the name Ted Bundy was being charged with multiple murders and it was to her shock she realised she almost became one of his victims.

Why do Chinese people take photos before eating?

Because unlike normal porn, you can share food porn with anyone, even your aunt.

Food photos are among the most popular posts on Chinese social media.

We can tell others about this or that dish – where you can find it, what it tastes like, whether it comes with an interesting backstory, we can recommend this or that food establishment to others, share recipes with others, be inspired so that we can try out some cool new tricks with our own cooking, etc.

In my experience, few people dislike food porn.
Those who do tend to view food more as “fuel” rather than something to enjoy and delight the senses.

I’m more than happy to share food porn with others.

Here is a picture of some 喜洲粑粑 (Xǐzhōu bābā).

Xizhou is the name of a lakeside village just outside Dali’s old town in China’s Yunnan province.
Baba is the local slang for bread.

Baba is a type of thick, round, heavy bread that comes plain or with various fillings – and the fillings can be either sweet or savory.

A savory filling could be pork mince + spring onion + spiced salt.
A sweet filling could be brown sugar + rose petal jam + red bean.

It is a popular street food and makes for great breakfast nosh.

So, when people say stuff like “Oh, Chinese don’t eat bread you know!”, take that claim well salted.

main qimg 0326409f7fb1befa9b59d1a011ef14bb

THIS IS OLIVER ANTHONY’S BEST SONG YET! “I Want To Go Home” REACTION

What is the best case of “You just picked a fight with the wrong person” that you’ve witnessed?

I get a LOT of mileage out of this story.

It happened in 2002.

My friend Lisa was in her early 40s, and had congestive heart failure. She was a trooper despite her physical struggles. She grew up in a ‘tough’ city environment, and had the attitude to boot. She was typically a bit high strung, but on this afternoon she was the most mellow I had ever seen her.

Her daughter was at my house playing with my daughter. Lisa came to pick her up after she had stopped at the drugstore to pick up her monthly supply of heart and related medications. Her meds filled a small paper bag. Mellow Lisa proceeded to tell me what went down at the drugstore 10 minutes earlier.

Lisa legally parked her car in the handicapped spot just outside the store’s door. She joked with the pharmacists inside, telling them that if it weren’t for her they’d be out of a job (LOL). She left the store and proceeded, medicine bag in hand, to her car in the handicapped parking space.

A woman was loitering in and out of the store most of the day. When Lisa left, she was hanging around not far from Lisa’s car. As Lisa went to unlock her car door, the woman jumped Lisa and attempted to steal her purse and medications.

Lisa went ape-shit on her ass and flattened her. Lisa ended up sitting on top of the woman and smacking her in the face, much like little Ralphie did to Scut Farcus on ‘A Christmas Story’. She screamed at the woman while giving her the smackdown, “You think you can come here from the city and mug people? Well I’m from the city, too! You picked the WRONG BITCH to fuck with!”.

Just then, a police officer showed up. He happened to be an acquaintance of Lisa’s. He kept saying, “Lisa get off her…I got this!!”. He finally pulled Lisa off the mugger and sent her on her way as he arrested the mugger.

It was ten minutes later that Lisa showed up at my house, mellow as could be. I told her she should buy herself a punching bag for daily use since she felt so much better! She said, “Wow, I haven’t felt this relaxed in a LONG time!”.

I was pretty impressed. A heart patient requiring a handicapped parking space takes out her would-be mugger! Gotta love it!

Sadly, Lisa passed away in 2008 when her big old heart finally gave out. I never knew a more hilarious woman in my life.

I miss you girl!

BEATBOXER REACTS! I Oliver Anthony-Rich Men North of Richmond

Nuclear submarine with intercontinental ballistic missiles, new aircraft carrier, destroyers and frigates – China to invest $1.4 trillion in military modernization with a focus on the navy

Here’s What We Know

The situation around Taiwan and the ongoing territorial disputes in the South China Sea are forcing the PRC to invest in defence capabilities. From 2024 to 2028, the authorities intend to spend a crazy $1.4 trillion to modernise the People’s Liberation Army. The average annual growth rate will be 6.6 per cent.

The defence strategy emphasises the formation of a dominant navy. To achieve this, China plans to implement several forward-looking programmes. In particular, to acquire a fourth aircraft carrier, as well as destroyers of the Type 055 class and frigates of the Type 054A class.

China also wants to commission a Type 096-class nuclear-powered submarine armed with ballistic missiles. The submarine will receive JL-3 intercontinental ballistic missiles with a launch range of up to 9,000 kilometres, capable of carrying three nuclear warheads.

US policy slowing down China’s economy w/ Jeffrey Sachs

A very, very good discussion.

What is the best case of “You just picked a fight with the wrong person” that you’ve witnessed?

About 8 years ago, my dad, aged about 70 at the time, is driving my son aged about 4, and myself into a nearby town. We are driving through the outskirts, in a 40 zone and slowing down as we are about to enter a 30 zone. A hundred yards up ahead are about 6 ‘youths’…aged late teens, possibly up to 20 yrs, all messing about on mountain bikes…doing wheelies and doing skids into the middle of the road. Dad slows down and they move a little to one side, still farting about. One loses control and the bike shoots over and skids in front of my dad’s car, the rider coming off and sliding over the bonnet (hood) of the car, and up the windscreen before sliding off the other side.

Dad hurtles out of the car, closely followed by me, expecting to see some mangled mess of a teen on the floor. Luckily he was fine, getting up, dusting himself off. We’d barely let out a breath of relief when he turns onto my dad – yelling abuse at him, calling him a ****ed up retard…old ****er etc etc. Then his mates drop their bikes to the floor and start advancing on my dad…’come on old man, ready to be ****ed up?’…

Now my dad, back in his day was pretty good at karate….something he did weekly for about 15 years. He is also a very fit man – from that generation of wily, hands-on men who just get on and do things…..breaking up concrete with a pickaxe or sledgehammer – knocking down walls, building walls and so on. So these 6 or so youths start to circle in on dad, I step back a bit to lock the car doors…the first lad, the one who’d slid over dad’s bonnet makes a lunge for my dad, fist punching out towards his face. Dad grabs his wrist, yanks it down and before I could say a single word, has got this kid on his knees, on the road, arm bent back, hand folded back in a somewhat unnatural position. The kid is screaming…’let me go!! Get off!! You’re breaking my hand!!! Get off!!!’

Still holding him by one hand, dad makes a small step towards the other boys….drops the kid’s hand and takes up a karate pose. The kids just turn tail and run…the other boy gets up and legs it after them. Dad just giggles in delight and with an almighty yell….hurtles down the road after them, yelling like a maniac. If the boys were running 5 seconds ago, now they are really running like Usain Bolt with an axe is chasing them, and I am doubled up laughing. Eventually, I pick up the boy’s bikes and lean them against a garden hedge and wait for dad to saunter back having run a hundred yards or so after them.

We still laugh about it – I’m not sure what those boys thought they were going to do to my father, but they really didn’t see that coming. They definitely picked on the wrong person :)))

Beef Burgundy

beef bourguignon 3 1048x1572 1 — beef bourguignon 3 1048×1572 1

Ingredients

2 slices bacon, chopped
2 pounds sirloin tip or round steak, cut into 1 inch cubes
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/4 teaspoon marjoram
1/4 teaspoon thyme
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1 beef bouillon cube, crushed
1 cup Burgundy wine
1/4 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 tablespoons cornstarch (optional)

Instructions

In large skillet, cook bacon several minutes. Remove bacon and set aside.
Coat beef with flour and brown on all sides in bacon mixture.
Combine steak, bacon drippings, cooked bacon, seasonings, bouillon, and Burgundy in slow cooker.
Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or until meat is tender.
Turn control to HIGH. Add mushrooms; cook on HIGH for 15 minutes.
To thicken sauce, if desired, add cornstarch (dissolved in 2 tablespoons cold water) with mushrooms.

I was fired by my employer today. They wouldn’t let me collect any personal belongings from my desk except my wallet, my keys and my own personal phone. Can they do this and if so how long are they allowed to keep my things?

I had an employer try that crap with me once (kind of)—only I was given a heads up from a dear friend that I was being RIFed, so I had already cleared out my entire office. I had even locked myself out of a system I administered prior to my RIF meeting. When they were going through the separation checklist and told me I could only take with me what I had with me at the time, I said, “Okay, no problem.” When they asked me about scheduling a time to retrieve the rest of my stuff (I’d worked there almost 20 years, so there WAS a lot of stuff), I told them I didn’t have anything else to retrieve. They were shocked. When they had someone quickly verify that my office was indeed cleaned out, they started insisting that I review with them what I had already taken, reveal to them who tipped me off, etc. I simply handed them my pre-prepared ziplock with my ID, proximity badge, building keys, and wiped work iPhone, and left. They insisted that I walk out a particular door. I walked out the door closest to where I was parked that day (with them threatening me the whole time). They were LIVID and could barely see straight. My confidante still works there! It’s hilarious and extremely satisfying.

Scott Ritter clip on what the Pentagon Generals told the White House.

Stop the provocations with China. In any conflict with China, the USA will lose, and lose badly.

Clip segment pre-set at the position in the long video.

Why did Russia provide asylum to Edward Snowden? Are they going to use him against the US of A?

Russia legally can’t extradite Snowden, because there is no bilateral extradition agreement between Russia and the USA. America doesn’t extradite our criminals either. Also, Snowden is not a criminal from the Russian legal point of view.

Because his American passport was annulled, Russia was unable to send Snowden to any other country without some kind of special arrangement. So, the choice was between forcing Snowden to stay in the international airport in Moscow indefinitely, or providing him with asylum. After some deliberation, Putin chose the latter.

Snowden actually wanted asylum in Hong Kong (China) or South America, but nobody was really willing to take him in. It made sense for Russia to show its ability to challenge America without getting bombed, but it was not an easy decision for Putin. Because Snowden wasn’t a Russian agent or asset, and Russia had no obligation to protect him. Also, Putin’s opinion about Snowden is rather low. He doesn’t condone his actions. And Snowden doesn’t like Putin either. He openly says that in his interviews.

Russia can’t use Snowden because his access to secrets is long gone. We have IT experts of his caliber of our own, and nobody will trust him with access to our secrets and security networks. Really, he is a burden. But a relatively light one.

Snowden doesn’t work with Russian security services because he wants to return to America at some point. This is technically possible, as long as he stays just a whistleblower and not a traitor. Because the CIA and its ilk have some access to Russian state secrets, they would know when and if he would start cooperating with the FSB and its ilk.

What was the worst thing your parents ever did to you?

This one is easy, sadly. My “mother” called CPS on me last year. Just because I wasn’t talking to her. My world was turned upside down with one phonecall.

One day a sheriff came to my house. I was surprised because I’m not one to get into trouble or piss anyone off. He said he was there to check on mine and my children’s welfare. I was confused. He said my mother had called and said I hadn’t talked to her in over a year, my husband was abusive and holding me captive, and I was doing heroin and meth. I looked at him and said, “you’ve got to be kidding me!” He assured me it was for real. I told him I spoke to her about 2 months ago, there’s no ball and chain behind me, and I damn sure ain’t doing heroin or meth. He actually laughed. I told him she’s got issues and I don’t want nothing to do with her. He said, “well you look healthy, you’re not locked in a cellar, and your kids are at school where they should be so I’ll be on my way.” I thanked him for his time and off he went. I was steaming pissed that day. I wondered what is wrong with that woman. Now I really won’t talk to her.

The next day, during the afternoon before the kids got home from school, there was a knock on the door. I open the door and there is a sheriff and social worker. Dumbfounded, I ask if I can help them. They tell me someone has made a report to CPS and they’re there to investigate. I was floored to say the least. So we sit down and the social worker begins to interrogate me. She then begins to list the allegations. She tells me I’m supposedly mentally ill, doing heroin and meth, being manipulated and abused by my husband, my children run around unsupervised, the kids aren’t adequately cared for, etc. I broke down and sobbed in disbelief. I asked who made this report and was told it was “anonymous”. I knew by the heroin and meth and husband abusing me bit exactly who it was. The show had just begun.

Another sheriff arrives shortly after. They ask if they can search my home. I said “for what”, and was told if I didn’t consent they would take my kids away. Reluctantly, I said “fine I have nothing to hide.” As the sheriff’s are upstairs searching I’m still being interrogated downstairs by the social worker. My husband arrived and was very upset about the situation, naturally. He’s even more angry seeing me a mess in tears having to be asked appalling questions. Next thing you know, there’s a knock at the door. Lo and behold it’s another sheriff. He waltzes in and I ask what the hell he’s here for. The sheriff’s come downstairs with an empty box that my husband had under our bed from a gun he purchased. They asked where the gun was and he replied it was in the car. They asked to see it and he refused. He’s not a felon and it’s registered and completely legal. That seemed to piss them off but they had no grounds to take it or see it.

So here we are. Sitting in the living room with the social worker and sheriff while another one is in the kitchen and one in the dining room. Why, I couldn’t even tell you. The sheriff had a brown paper bag and said there was some “evidence” in it. He pulled out some pill bottles. He asked me what they were for. I told him I suffer from depression and anxiety. I also take something for an opiate addiction. I’m in recovery and take a preventable medicine. Well, they thought they got me there. Mentally unstable and a drug addict. Perfect ammunition to use against me. They looked at me as though I was despicable. Scum. I could feel the judgement through my bones. The social worker asked my husband and I to accompany her to the kitchen.

That’s when she pulls out the drug tests. She asked if we were willing to take a voluntary drug test. We said absolutely. He went first, then I went. There we were in our home with 3 sheriff’s and a CPS worker peeing in a cup to prove ourselves not to be drug addicts. I felt completely violated. The tests took a few minutes to come out but they were negative. Almost disappointed, she let us see them and told us they were clean. I felt validated, but still so angry. My kids come home from school and ask what’s going on. I didn’t even know what to say. I just told them to get a snack and go to their room and I’d be with them shortly. The social worker said we could wrap up for now, but she’d be in touch. I kindly led them out. My husband and I just looked at each other and didn’t even say a word. We were both too upset to even talk. Every aspect of our privacy and humanity had been stripped of us. Then we had to explain to the kids what was going on. After that we had to clean our home because when the sheriff’s went through our belongings they had just thrown things about and had no respect for our things.

The next day the kids informed me after school that a social worker had come to visit them to ask them questions about mom and dad. They were scared and upset. I told them it would be okay. As long as they told the truth everything would be fine. We’ve got nothing to hide. The social worker paid me a few more visits. Each time I was cooperative and willing to do whatever was needed. Anything to get them to go away and stay away. Turns out my mother had called the principal at school asking him questions about my kids. “Were they stinky, dirty, did they look well fed”, things like that. Then someone who claimed to be an uncle called and did the same. The principal got so uncomfortable he called the social worker and told her he was being harassed and didn’t want to deal with it. She finally said without saying in certain words it was my mother who filed the report. She admitted that the situation was very unusual. She paid me a last visit to let me know that not one claim could be substantiated. She apologized for the intrusion. She told me the case was closed and she would report back to my mother that all is well.

Only after having our house ripped apart, taking drug tests, having my children interrogated at school, calling my psychiatrist, pharmacy, family and friends were we deemed fit enough parents. I can’t begin to tell you what this situation has done to me. You’re probably wondering if I confronted my mother. I sent her a text message after all was said and done and asked her if she had any idea what she had done. I asked what she was thinking. I know what she did. To not only me, but her grandkids. Well, she had nothing to say about it. So I left it there. If she ever comes to her senses and wants to explain herself and apologize profusely I will give her a chance. But never will I go out of my way to have any kind of relations with her. As far as the kids, they want nothing to do with her. That is their choice. I told them they are free to talk to her and see her if they wish they should not suffer anymore. They said they would rather not. So be it.

That is the cruelest thing a parent has done to me. I could give more stories believe me, but I think I’ve said enough for now.

The full extent of biological weapons use by the United States in Ukraine, with 1965 Cadillac Coupe DeVille, Kodachromes, Glamorous Vintage Camper, the death of both Xi Peng and Putin.

Well, the captured Canadian NATO general in charge of the bioweapons program in Ukraine has “spilled the beans”, the resulting is a true horror. What the United States has been doing makes Nazi Germany look like amateurs. But first, let’s present some various articles and thoughts designed to throw off the troll-bots, the sniffer bots, the vault 7 DOSA, and other systems that suppress this information and opinions from entering the Western Internet…We have to cut through all the lies.

This is too good not to be credited to Brian Berletic:

The United States (and small collective west) is refusing to choose the option that makes sense. This option is coexistence with the rest of the world. Their objective of maintaining primacy over the rest of the world is no longer attainable.

I cracked open the “Drudge Report” for shits and giggles! Did you know that Russian President Putin is going to die of blood cancer, any day now? Oh, yeah! Oh, and Chinese leader Xi Peng is going to die of a brain aneurysm! Yes! What do you know…?

The bullshit is so very deep in the United States these days. You have to be an absolute moron to actually believe the nonsense.

Gonzalo Lira calculated the current rate of attrition:

At the current rate of attrition, the Armed Forces of Ukraine will see 10,000 soldiers die by the end of this month, another 20,000 dead by the end of June. This war cannot be won by Ukraine—it’s over. The only solution is to sue for peace. But the US won’t allow this.

War in Ukraine map – 14MAY22

It’s pretty good.

Marshall Tucker Band “Can’t You See” @Epcot 05/10/2019

Here’s a shout out to all the “old timers” here on MM…

Russia To Halt Electricity Exports To Finland On Saturday | OilPrice.com

The crusaders asking for it:

Following Thursday’s report that Russia threatened to cut the flow of gas to Finland, Russia—through its entity RAO, will suspend imports of electricity to Finland as of 1:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 14, Fingrid said on Friday in a statement on its website.

The Finnish transmission system operator, Fingrid, claims that the security of Finland’s power supply is not under threat, with 10% of its electricity consumption imported from Russia.

Reima Paivinen, Senior VP of Power System Operations at Fingrid, said that whatever electricity is typically imported from Russia “will be compensated by importing more electricity from Sweden and by generating more electricity in Finland.”

From HERE

BREAKING NEWS: TURKEY MAY VETO ENTRY OF FINLAND & SWEDEN INTO NATO

World Hal Turner Hits: 9042

Turkish President Recypt Erdogan signals his country may VETO entry of Finland and Sweden into NATO. Erdogan claims Finland hosts “terrorist” organizations that are against Turkey . . . .

Erdogan also says Greece return to NATO in 1980 with Turkey’s approval, was a mistake.

Developing . . .

1965 Cadillac Coupe DeVille

Cadillac was “Standard of the World” in motoring pleasure and owner loyalty. “So new, so right, so obviously Cadillac!” This editorial is dedicated to those who regard their motorcars as prized possessions. Once one has been in the driver’s seat of a new Cadillac… it is difficult to become content with any other car.

Here is another classic DeVille encore performance… in the continuing saga of “As the Standard of the World Turns.”

Another body change gave every 1965 Cadillac a longer, lower silhouette. Rear fenders were now planed ruler-flat in profile, though a hint of fin was preserved via a recontoured rear deck. Also new were a straight back bumper and vertical lamp clusters.

Up front for the 1965 Cadillac line, the headlight pairs were switched from horizontal to vertical, making for an even wider grille. Curved side windows appeared, six-window hardtop sedans disappeared, and pillared sedans returned in Calais, DeVille and Sixty Special guise. The Special also reverted to its exclusive 133-inch wheelbase (last used from 1954 to 1958).

The 1965 Cadillac Series 62 was renamed Calais, but its roster was thinned to just two hardtops and a pillared sedan. The convertible moved to the midrange DeVille series, which had been gaining popularity since its 1959 inaugural.

At the top of the 1965 Cadillac line, the Eldorado convertible and Sixty Special sedan officially became Fleetwoods, adopting the “carriage trade” Series 75 models’ nameplates, wreath-and-crest medallions, broad rocker-panel and rear-quarter brightwork, and rectangular-pattern rear appliqués. A new Fleetwood Brougham sedan (actually a Sixty Special trim option) came with a vinyl roof and “Brougham” script on the rear pillars.

Despite an unchanged V-8, the slightly lighter 1965 Cadillac lineup boasted the luxury field’s best power-to-weight ratio. A new “Dual driving range” Turbo Hydra-Matic transmission and full-perimeter frames (replacing the X-type used since ’57) were adopted except on Series 75s, and all 1965 Cadillac models came with a new “sonically balanced” exhaust system. Amazingly, prices weren’t too far above what they’d been back in 1961.

Cadillac had a resounding 1965, producing close to 200,000 cars. But it was a great year for all Detroit, so that volume was only good for 11th place.

And…

And…

And…

United States Navy Capability 2022

USN amphibious capability is slowly rusting away and not enough Marines can be recruited to staff them. Annually, the Heritage Organization publishes a report on the Outlaw US Empire’s Military Readiness in several very distinct categories that’s widely respected for its objectivity. There’s a large mass of material to wade through from that initial page. Although it says this is the 2022 assessment, you’ll note that most articles and assessments are dated October 2021. There’s one page that sums it all up and this is it.

After the narrative and tables we read the following:

“In the aggregate, the United States’ military posture is rated ‘marginal.’ The 2022 Index concludes that the current U.S. military force is likely capable of meeting the demands of a single major regional conflict while also attending to various presence and engagement activities but that it would be very hard-pressed to do more and certainly would be ill-equipped to handle two nearly simultaneous major regional contingencies.” [Emphasis Original]

What I’ve read over the last 6-7 months since that was published doesn’t provide any facts that would allow for any improvement in the Marginal rating while others would argue a slight worsening, particularly in the Air Force. And when you look at the massive sums of money spent for such mediocre results and more now being thrown at it, there’s very little grounds for improvement by the next assessment.

– karlof1

Travel out of China halted as Xi Jinping doubles down on zero COVID

Saving the lives of Chinese citizens.

"China has banned its citizens from leaving the country for non-essential travel as Xi Jinping ramps up efforts to stamp out COVID-19 despite the rising economic costs..."

Economic costs? China is doing great. Sheech!

From HERE

Victor Berlemont, a French publican working in an establishment of London’s Soho, circa 1939.

China making it’s place on the globe

Not only is China trouncing the US in Asia, but also in much of the rest of the world. Picking two areas:

Africa has provided the best fit for and has been the most receptive to China’s development-focused economic diplomacy. China claims a historic solidarity with developing countries in the region, which has bolstered intensified trade, investment, and financial relations.

China’s role in Latin America is mostly defined by commodity trade and investment. Its economic and political influence in Latin America will be only as strong as its commodity-based links to the region. Yet, given that the United States has frequently been a fickle partner for Latin American countries, their government and business leaders will continue to look for alternatives. . .here

Kodachrome Stories

We love Kodachromes and we love found photos. Lee Shulman shares those loves, recognising what he calls “the emotional value of these slices of life”. Since 2017, Lee’s collected around 700,000 found photographs, and compiled them into his Anonymous Project.

These snapshots taken in the mid-20th Century show us people posing for the camera, smiling in readiness for whoever’s behind the thing to press the button and capture the moment. Others are relaxed, caught off guard, their eyes blinked closed or shut in asleep.

How to Make Butter-Basted Fish Fillets with Garlic and Thyme

This is NOT common knowledge. You all need to learn how to cook fish, especially the fish that you catch yourself.

“POLAND NEXT?”

World Hal Turner Hits: 10976

A Russia State Duma (Parliament) deputy proposed to put “Poland next in line for denazification after Ukraine.”

The Polish leadership’s statements about Russia “as a cancerous tumor” and about indemnities to Ukraine prompt the Russian Federation to “put it in line for denazification,” said Oleg Morozov, chairman of the State Duma Committee on Control.

“By its statements about Russia as a ‘cancer tumor’ and about the ‘indemnity’ that we must pay to Ukraine , Poland encourages us to put it in first place in the queue for denazification after Ukraine,” Morozov wrote in his Telegram channel.

Earlier, Polish Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said in a Telegraph column that he considers the Russian world “a cancer that poses a deadly threat to the whole of Europe.” in his opinion, it needs to be “eradicated.”

Also, Polish President Andrzej Duda said that Russia would be forced to pay indemnity to Ukraine.

Russia launched a military operation in Ukraine on February 24. President Vladimir Putin called its goal “the protection of people who have been subjected to bullying and genocide by the Kiev regime for eight years.”

For this, according to him, it is planned to carry out “demilitarization and denazification of Ukraine”, to bring to justice all war criminals responsible for “bloody crimes against civilians” in Donbass .

Briefing: analysis of documents related to the military biological activities of the United States on the territory of Ukraine May 11, 2022

33789 Views May 11, 2022

From HERE.

Ideologues of US military-biological activities in Ukraine are the leaders of the Democratic Party.

▫️Thus, through the US executive branch, a legislative framework for funding military biomedical research directly from the federal budget was formed. Funds were raised under state guarantees from NGOs controlled by the Democratic Party leadership, including the investment funds of the Clintons, Rockefellers, Soros and Biden.

▫️The scheme involves major pharmaceutical companies, including Pfizer, Moderna, Merck and the US military-affiliated company Gilead. U.S. experts are working to test new medicines that circumvent international safety standards. As a result, Western companies are seriously reducing the cost of research programmes and gaining a significant competitive advantage.

▫️The involvement of controlled nongovernmental and biotechnological organisations, and the increase in their revenues, allows the leaders of the Democratic Party to generate additional campaign finance and hide its distribution.

▫️In addition to US pharmaceutical companies and Pentagon contractors, Ukrainian state agencies are involved in military bioweapons activities, whose main tasks are to conceal illegal activities, conduct field and clinical trials and provide the necessary biomaterial.

▫️Thus, the US Department of Defence, using a virtually internationally uncontrolled test site and the high-tech facilities of multinational companies, has greatly expanded its research capabilities, not only in the field of biological weapons, but also in gaining knowledge about antibiotic resistance and the antibodies to specific diseases in populations in specific regions.

Not only the US, but also a number of its NATO allies are implementing their military-biological projects in Ukraine.

▫️The German government has decided to launch a national biosafety programme independent of Washington, D.C., starting in 2013. Twelve countries, including Ukraine, are involved in the Programme.

▫️On the German side, the programme involves the Institute for Armed Forces Microbiology (Munich), the Robert Koch Institute (Berlin), the Loeffler Institute (Greifswald) and the Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine (Hamburg).

▫️New documents reveal that between 2016 and 2019 alone, three and a half thousand blood serum samples of citizens living in 25 regions of Ukraine were taken by military epidemiologists from the Bundeswehr Microbiology Institute.

▫️The involvement of institutions subordinate to the Bundeswehr confirms the military orientation of biological research carried out in Ukrainian laboratories and raises questions about the goals pursued by the German armed forces in collecting biomaterials of Ukrainian citizens.

▫️The documents obtained also show the involvement of Poland in Ukrainian biolaboratories. The participation of the Polish Institute of Veterinary Medicine in research aimed at assessing the epidemiological threats and spread of the rabies virus in Ukraine has been confirmed. Characteristically, the research in question was carried out jointly with the US-based Battelle Institute, a key contractor for the Pentagon.

▫️In addition, Polish funding for the Lvov Medical University, which includes a member of US military biology projects, the Institute of Epidemiology and Hygiene, has been documented. The organisation has been running a retraining programme for specialists with experience of working with dual-use materials and technologies since 2002.

We have received new information revealing details of the Pentagon’s inhuman experiments on Ukrainian citizens in Psychiatric Hospital No 1 (Streleche village, Kharkov region).

◽️The main category of subjects was a group of male patients aged 40-60 years with a high stage of physical exhaustion.

◽️In order to conceal their US affiliation, the biological research experts travelled via third countries. Here is a photograph of Florida native Linda Oporto, who was directly involved in these works.

◽️In January 2022, the foreign nationals conducting the experiments were evacuated in an emergency and the equipment and drugs they were using were taken to western Ukraine.

Evidence of emergency destruction of documents confirming work with the US military establishment was obtained.

◽️ A preliminary analysis of extant documentation indicates the use of Mariupol as a regional centre for cholera pathogen collection and certification. The selected strains were sent to the Public Health Centre in Kiev, which is responsible for the onward shipment of biomaterials to the United States. These activities have been carried out since 2014, as evidenced by the transfer of strains.

◽️ An act of destruction of the pathogen collection dated February 25, 2022, according to which cholera, tularemia and anthrax pathogens were handled there, was found in the sanitary and epidemiological laboratory.

◽️ Part of the collection of the veterinary laboratory was not destroyed in a hurry. In order to ensure safety and secure storage, 124 strains were exported by Russian specialists and their study was organised.

◽️ The presence in the collection of pathogens that are uncharacteristic of veterinary medicine, such as typhoid, paratyphoid fever and gas gangrene, is a cause for concern. This could indicate the laboratory’s misuse and involvement in a military biological programme.

◽️ We will continue to examine the full volume of material received from the Mariupol biolaboratories and will inform you about the results.

2. Full Briefing

The Russian Defence Ministry continues to study materials on the implementation of military biological programs of the United States and its NATO allies on the territory of Ukraine.

We have already mentioned Robert Pope, director of the Cooperative Threat Reduction Programme and author of the idea of the Central Depository of Highly Dangerous Microorganisms in Kiev.

In his statement of April 10, 2022, Pope said that “…there is no reason to claim that research related to the development of biological weapons is taking place in Ukraine…”. He previously claimed that “…the Americans did not find biological weapons when they first started working with Ukraine, and they still haven’t. In addition, Ukraine lacks the infrastructure to develop and produce biological weapons…”.

I would like to recall that the term “biological weapons” includes biological formulations that contain pathogenic micro-organisms and toxins, as well as the means of delivery and use of said formulations.

While the priority for Ukrainian healthcare is socially significant diseases such as HIV, poliomyelitis, measles and hepatitis, US customers are interested in a completely different nomenclature: cholera, tularemia, plague and hantaviruses.

As a result of the special military operation on the territory of Ukraine, facts of work with the specified pathogens, which are potential agents of biological weapons, have been revealed. At the same time, it was noted that Ukraine had sent a request to the manufacturing company regarding the possibility of equipping the Bayraktar drones with aerosol equipment.

In addition on March 9, three unmanned aerial vehicles equipped with 30-litre containers and equipment for spraying formulations were detected by Russian reconnaissance units in Kherson region. At the end of April, 10 more were found near Kakhovka.

All this information calls into question the statements of American experts.

We have previously provided a scheme for US coordination of biological laboratories and research institutes in Ukraine. Its preliminary analysis suggests that Ukraine is essentially a testing ground for the development of biological weapons components and the testing of new samples of pharmaceuticals.

The Russian Ministry of Defence was able to clarify the said scheme.

It should be noted that the ideologues of US military-biological activities in Ukraine are the leaders of the Democratic Party.

Thus, through the US executive branch, a legislative framework for funding military biomedical research directly from the federal budget was formed. Funds were raised under state guarantees from NGOs controlled by the Democratic Party leadership, including the investment funds of the Clintons, Rockefellers, Soros and Biden.

The scheme involves major pharmaceutical companies, including Pfizer, Moderna, Merck and the US military-affiliated company Gilead. U.S. experts are working to test new medicines that circumvent international safety standards. As a result, Western companies are seriously reducing the cost of research programmes and gaining a significant competitive advantage.

The involvement of controlled nongovernmental and biotechnological organisations, and the increase in their revenues, allows the leaders of the Democratic Party to generate additional campaign finance and hide its distribution.

In addition to US pharmaceutical companies and Pentagon contractors, Ukrainian state agencies are involved in military bioweapons activities, whose main tasks are to conceal illegal activities, conduct field and clinical trials and provide the necessary biomaterial.

Thus, the US Department of Defence, using a virtually internationally uncontrolled test site and the high-tech facilities of multinational companies, has greatly expanded its research capabilities, not only in the field of biological weapons, but also in gaining knowledge about antibiotic resistance and the antibodies to specific diseases in populations in specific regions.

It should be noted that not only the US, but also a number of its NATO allies are implementing their military-biological projects in Ukraine.

The German government has decided to launch a national biosafety programme independent of Washington, D.C., starting in 2013. Twelve countries, including Ukraine, are involved in the Programme.

On the German side, the programme involves the Institute for Armed Forces Microbiology (Munich), the Robert Koch Institute (Berlin), the Loeffler Institute (Greifswald) and the Nocht Institute for Tropical Medicine (Hamburg).

New documents reveal that between 2016 and 2019 alone, three and a half thousand blood serum samples of citizens living in 25 regions of Ukraine were taken by military epidemiologists from the Bundeswehr Microbiology Institute.

The involvement of institutions subordinate to the Bundeswehr confirms the military orientation of biological research carried out in Ukrainian laboratories and raises questions about the goals pursued by the German armed forces in collecting biomaterials of Ukrainian citizens.

The documents obtained also show the involvement of Poland in Ukrainian biolaboratories. The participation of the Polish Institute of Veterinary Medicine in research aimed at assessing the epidemiological threats and spread of the rabies virus in Ukraine has been confirmed. Characteristically, the research in question was carried out jointly with the US-based Battelle Institute, a key contractor for the Pentagon.

In addition, Polish funding for the Lvov Medical University, which includes a member of US military biology projects, the Institute of Epidemiology and Hygiene, has been documented. The organisation has been running a retraining programme for specialists with experience of working with dual-use materials and technologies since 2002.

The special military operation by Russian troops succeeded in obtaining additional information about bio-incidents in Ukraine.

For example, materials indicating the intentional use of a multidrug-resistant tuberculosis pathogen in 2020 to infect the population of the Slavyanoserbsky district of the LPR were examined.

The flyers, made in the form of counterfeit currency notes, were infected with the tuberculosis agent and distributed to minors in Stepovoe village. The organisers of this crime took into account the behaviour of children, who have a habit of “putting everything in their mouths” and taking food with unwashed hands.

The results of bacteriological studies have confirmed the resistance of the isolated bacteria to first- and second-line anti-TB drugs, meaning that the disease caused by them is much more difficult to treat and the cost of treatment is much higher.

According to the conclusion of the Lugansk Republican Sanitary and Epidemiological Station,

 “…the contamination of the notes was most likely carried out artificially, as the material contains extremely dangerous strains of the pathogen in concentrations capable of ensuring infection and development of the tuberculosis process…”.

In his conclusion, the chief doctor of the Lugansk Republican TB Dispensary also notes that

“…there are all signs of deliberate, man-made contamination of the flyers with highly pathogenic biomaterial…”.

We previously reported on trials of potentially dangerous biological drugs on one of the least protected categories of people – patients of the Kharkov Regional Clinical Psychiatric Hospital No 3.

We have received new information revealing details of the Pentagon’s inhuman experiments on Ukrainian citizens in Psychiatric Hospital No 1 (Streleche village, Kharkov region). The main category of subjects was a group of male patients aged 40-60 years with a high stage of physical exhaustion.

In order to conceal their US affiliation, the biological research experts travelled via third countries. Here is a photograph of Florida native Linda Oporto, who was directly involved in these works.

In January 2022, the foreign nationals conducting the experiments were evacuated in an emergency and the equipment and drugs they were using were taken to western Ukraine.

Russian Defence Ministry specialists have carried out work directly in two biolaboratories in Mariupol.

Evidence of emergency destruction of documents confirming work with the US military establishment was obtained.

A preliminary analysis of extant documentation indicates the use of Mariupol as a regional centre for cholera pathogen collection and certification. The selected strains were sent to the Public Health Centre in Kiev, which is responsible for the onward shipment of biomaterials to the United States. These activities have been carried out since 2014, as evidenced by the transfer of strains.

An act of destruction of the pathogen collection dated February 25, 2022, according to which cholera, tularemia and anthrax pathogens were handled there, was found in the sanitary and epidemiological laboratory.

Part of the collection of the veterinary laboratory was not destroyed in a hurry. In order to ensure safety and secure storage, 124 strains were exported by Russian specialists and their study was organised.

The presence in the collection of pathogens that are uncharacteristic of veterinary medicine, such as typhoid, paratyphoid fever and gas gangrene, is a cause for concern. This could indicate the laboratory’s misuse and involvement in a military biological programme.

We will continue to examine the full volume of material received from the Mariupol biolaboratories and will inform you about the results.

The Russian Ministry of Defence has information that provocations are being prepared to accuse the Russian Armed Forces of using weapons of mass destruction, followed by a “Syrian scenario” investigation to fabricate the necessary evidence and assign blame.

The high likelihood of such provocations is confirmed by requests from the Kiev administration for personal skin and respiratory protection equipment that provides protection against toxic chemicals and biological contaminating agents. The supply to Ukraine of organophosphorus poisoning antidotes raises concerns. In 2022 alone, more than 220,000 ampoules of atropine, as well as preparations for special treatment and disinfection, were delivered from the USA at the request of the Ukrainian Ministry of Health.

Thus, the information obtained confirms that the United States is implementing an offensive military-biological programme in Ukraine to study the possibility of forming controlled epidemics in specific territories.

The special military operation of the Russian Armed Forces has crossed the US military-biological expansion in Ukraine and stopped criminal experiments on civilians.

MM Comments

This is pure evil.

The information has been shared between Russia, China and the SEO.

You can well expect that there are going to be some very INTERESTING responses to these validations of Chinese and Russian accusations.

Gregg Allman – Laid Back Era

Ah. Such memories. I haven’t heard this song in over 50 years. And yet, still, it resonates with me. I hope you all enjoy it.

Kodachrome Stories

We love Kodachromes and we love found photos.

The Number Of Rich Americans Buying Second Passports Has Skyrocketed 300% The Last 3 Years

Saturday, May 14, 2022 – 07:20 AM

In another note of optimism for our country, Americans with money are officially starting to stockpile second passports as “Plan B” for their families.

In fact, Americans who are citizenship or residency in foreign countries “has skyrocketed” over the last 3 years, according to a new report from Insider/Yahoo News. The report says that billionaires and entrepreneurs, along with celebrities, are all looking for a backup plan to the red, white and blue, should the proverbial stuff hit the fan.

Among the worries of the rich remain Covid, climate change and political turmoil, the report says.

Hum…

Coronavirus?
Climate Change?
Domestic Political Turmoil?

Yeah. Sure…

There are more than a dozen countries that offer what are called “golden passports” and visas, the report says. These passports allow foreigners to get citizenship solely for investments in the country.

For example, Malta has a program where you can receive citizenship for investing $1.1 million. In Austria, that number is $9.5 million.

Latitude Residency & Citizenship helps guide high net worth individuals through the application process. They say inquires from the U.S. are up 300% between 2019 and 2021. Another firm, Henley & Partners, has said that sales to American nationals were up 327% over the same time period.

One partner at Henley said there are “four C’s” driving his citizenship industry right now: COVID-19, climate change, cryptocurrency, and conflict.

So…

Coronavirus?
Climate Change?
Cryptocurrency?
Conflict?

Hum. Let me help you all out here. It’s Global Thermonuclear War initiated by a lunatic United States.

The executive told Insider:

“In the very strict lockdowns there was a point where if you only had an American passport, you could not enter Europe. I think that made a lot of particularly ultra high net worth individuals realize that they’re potentially a little bit more fragile than they thought.”

Reaz Jafri, CEO of Dasein Advisors, told Insider that he had seen more inquiries from Americans in the last 3 years than he had in the 20 years prior to that, combined.

“We’ve all lived through the past two and a half years. It all just reminded us how vulnerable and frail we are, and people who have means are accepting that it will happen again — and they don’t want to be caught off guard,”

Jafri said.

Ezzedeen Soleiman, a managing partner at Latitude, commented:

“We see these programs as an insurance policy. We’ve had some billionaires approach us and ask what’s the best place to live if there’s a climate catastrophe, or if there’s another storm, or another global pandemic.”

LOL.

Gimme Shelter – Apocalypse Now Music Video

Pretty darn well done. Check it oout.

Kodachrome Stories

We love Kodachromes and we love found photos.

Easy, Fall-off-the-Bone Chicken Wings Dinner | 鸡翅这样做太香了，全程小技巧

A friend of ours makes these, and OMG, the meat really does fall off the bone. It is so damn delicious. The video is in Chinese, but the subtitles and the actions are very clear, and in no time, you will be able to have the most amazing and delicious chicken wings that you have ever eaten… and I am NOT kidding. So very delicious.

‘An Engine That Does Not Work’: F-35 Program Office Lambasted For Stealth-Jets Poor Performance

Another one of the most advanced and expensive US weapon systems, I wonder what will happen when the American F-35 meets the Chinese J-20 in the South China Sea…

‘An Engine That Does Not Work’: F-35 Program Office Lambasted For Stealth Jets Poor Performance

The F-35 Joint Program Office came under fire from US lawmakers who questioned the under-performance of ‘America’s pride’ – the F-35 stealth fighter jets, during the nearly two-hour hearing of the House Armed Service Subcommittee on Readiness on April 28.

From HERE

United States eyes Cambodia

Previously three US senators tore into Cambodia. Senators Romney, Markey, Menendez and Risch introduced a resolution last October, on the 30-year anniversary of the Paris Peace Agreements. The resolution notes that the promise of the Paris Peace Agreements remains unfulfilled due to Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen’s violations of Cambodia’s Constitution and effective one-party rule since 1993.
Back in November: US turns new screws on Cambodia’s Hun Sen Washington imposes new sanctions, threatens to lift GSP privileges and warns US companies against doing business in the kingdom .
For years, US officials have accused Phnom Penh of secretly agreeing to allow Chinese troops access to the strategically situated base. Chinese access to the Ream Naval Base could shift security dynamics in the South China Sea, giving Chinese vessels a new southern flank in the hotly contested waterway.
And lest we forget: Back fifty years ago: Cambodia was bombed with over 500,000 tons of ordnance until August 1973. About 600,000 deaths followed, mostly civilians, helping Khmer Rouge elements gain power in 1975.

Kodachrome Stories

Metals Access

It looks like the Trump trade war with China will continue with all subsequent administrations. Come the revolution…..

Have the geniuses at the Pentagon and Russell Hill, Canberra, noticed that China and Chinese interests are among the top 20 shareholders of many critical mineral ASX miners the Pentagon proposes to finance , like Lynas? [Lynas rare earth are used in the F35]

Or in true neo-liberal/robber baron behaviour on display of late, will they simply seize the Chinese holdings?

“Boost for ASX critical metals players as US Defense Department seeks to fund mining and processing in Australia”….

From HERE

It looks like neoliberalism carries the seed of its own destruction.

Empire of Bioweapon Lies

12373 Views May 13, 2022 50 Comments

By Pepe Escobar, posted with the author’s permission and widely cross-posted

What are the roots that clutch, what branches grow / Out of this stony rubbish? Son of man, / You cannot say, or guess, for you know only / A heap of broken images, where the sun beats, / And the dead tree gives no shelter, the cricket no relief, / And the dry stone no sound of water. Only / There is shadow under this red rock, / (Come in under the shadow of this red rock), / And I will show you something different from either / Your shadow at morning striding behind you / Or your shadow at evening rising to meet you; / I will show you fear in a handful of dust.

T.S. Eliot, The Waste Land: I. The Burial of the Dead, 1922

This glimpse of “fear in a handful of dust” already ranks as one the prime breakthroughs of the young 21^st century, presented this week by Chief of Russian Radiation, Chemical, and Biological Protection Force Igor Kirillov.

The provisional results of evidence being collected about the work of U.S. bioweapons in Ukraine are simply astonishing. These are the main takeaways.

1. U.S. bioweapon ideologues comprise the leadership of the Democratic Party. By linking with non-governmental biotechnology organizations, using the investment funds of the Clintons, Rockefellers, Soros and Biden, they profited from additional campaign financing – all duly concealed. In parallel, they assembled the legislative basis for financing the bioweapons program directly from the federal budget.
2. COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers Pfizer and Moderna, as well as Merck and Gilead – of Donald “known unknowns” fame, and affiliated with the Pentagon – were directly involved.
3. U.S. specialists tested new drugs in the Ukraine biolabs in circumvention of international safety standards. According to Kirillov, acting this way “Western companies seriously reduce the costs of research programs and gain significant competitive advantages.”
4. According to Kirillov, “along with U.S. pharmaceutical companies and Pentagon contractors, Ukrainian government agencies are involved in military biotechnology activities, whose main tasks are to conceal illegal activities, conduct field and clinical trials and provide the necessary biomaterial.”
5. The Pentagon, Kirillov pointed out, expanded its research potential not only in terms of producing biological weapons, but also gathering information on antibiotic resistance and the presence of antibodies to certain diseases among the population in specific regions. The testing ground in Ukraine was practically outside the control of the so-called “international community”.

These findings, amply documented, suggest a vast “legitimized” bioweapon racket reaching the highest levels of the American body politic. There’s no doubt the Russians plan to thoroughly unmask it for the benefit of world public opinion, starting with a War Crimes Tribunal to be set up this summer, most probably in Donetsk.

An ongoing U.S. bioweapons program in Ukraine was one of the Top Three reasons that led to the launch of Operation Z, side by side with preventing an imminent NATO-managed blitzkrieg against Donbass and Kiev’s desire to re-start a nuclear weapons program. These are Top Three red lines for Russia.

The strength of the collected evidence may directly correlate with what was largely interpreted as a carefully measured Victory Day speech by President Putin. The Kremlin does not bluff. It will certainly privilege the meticulous presentation of – bioweapon – facts on the ground over grandstanding rhetoric.

The return of Nord Stream 2

Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN Dmitry Polyaniskiy announced Russia’s demand for an open meeting of the UN Security Council to present further evidence related to U.S. biolabs in Ukraine. Even if the meeting would be vetoed by the U.S., the evidence will be entered by Russia on the UN records.

These developments provide an extra indication there’s absolutely no space left for diplomacy between Russia and the U.S./collective West, as Polyaniskiy himself suggested when commenting the possible accession of Ukraine to the EU: “The situation has changed after Mr. Borrell’s statement that ‘this war should be won on the battleground’ and after the fact that the European Union is the leader in deliveries of arms [to Ukraine].”

It gets worse. The next chapter is Finland’s drive to join NATO.

The Americans gamble that Finland – and Sweden – joining NATO will totally discredit Putin’s Operation Z as having accomplished next to nothing strategically: after all, in the near future, potential U.S. hypersonic missiles stationed in Finland and Sweden will be very close to Saint Petersburg and Moscow.

Meanwhile, Russian unmasking of the bioweapon racket will drive a toxic section of American political elites to turbo-charge their warmongering. It’s all following a carefully calculated script.

First, these bioweapon-supervising “elites” ordered the massive Kiev shelling of Donbas in early February. That forced the Kremlin’s hand, pushing it to launch Operation Z.

We should always remember that the ultimate goal in the U.S. plan of training Ukrainians for war since 2014 was to alienate Germany from Russia – as Germany de facto controls Euroland economically.

Imperial control of the oceans allows the Empire to strangle Germany at will into subservience by cutting them off from Russian energy – as the British did to Germany in WWII when Britannia ruled the waves. The Wehrmacht could not supply their mechanized army with fuel. Now, in theory, Germany and the EU will have to look to the seas – and total U.S. dependency – for their natural resources.

The remote-controlled Kiev regime dominated by SBU fanatics and Azov neo-Nazis is making it even harder – by shutting off all natural gas from Russia through Ukraine into Europe, reducing the flow by more than one third.

That translates as U.S.-enforced blackmail to force the EU to increase the Ukro-weaponizing against Russia. The practical consequences for Germany and the EU will be dire – in terms of shut down industries and cost of home heating and electrical power.

Russia, meanwhile, will rely on a bolstered Pipelineistan maze to China and East Asia as well as high-speed rail to transport all its natural resources.

Blowback against the Americans though is not off limits. Stranger things have happened. If gas transit to Europe via Ukraine is totally cut off, there are no alternatives. And that – assuming there are working IQs in Berlin – would open the way for a renegotiation on the future of Nord Stream 2.

As the head of the Energy Development Center Kirill Melnikov notes, “the Yamal-Europe gas pipeline is practically idle and one of the Nord Stream 2 lines is also ready for operation though the German regulator has not issued permission for its launch yet.”

That prompted Melnikov to a priceless comment: “If purchases remain the same, Germany will probably need to urgently allow the launch of one of the Nord Stream 2 lines in order to replace the Ukrainian transit route.”

No one ever lost money betting on the astonishing stupidity permeating EUrocrat decision levels. Even facing economic suicide, the EU is desperate to “abandon” Russian oil. Yet a full ban is impossible, because of energy-deprived Eastern Europe.

Every impartial energy analyst knows replacing Russian oil is D.O.A., for a number of reasons: the OPEC+ deal; the ghastly divide between Washington and Riyadh; the never-ending JCPOA renegotiation, where the Americans behave like headless chickens; and the crucial fact – beyond the understanding of EUrocrats – that European oil refineries are designed to use oil from the Urals.

So just when we thought we could enjoy the summer by watching Europe commit hara-kiri, it’s time to stock up on those Aperol Spritz. Get ready for a new hit series, season 1: Inside the American bioweapon racket.

Kodachrome Stories

This is the tastiest chicken breast I’ve ever eaten! Simple, cheap and very juicy!

Come on!

Ukraine Tonight: “Most Violent Rocket and Artillery Attacks in 8 years”

World Hal Turner Hits: 1066

Word is coming out of Luhansk, Ukraine tonight that battles between the Independent Luhansk Republic troops along with Russian troops, against Ukrainian troops are so ferocious tonight, the vibrations from the artillery and missile barrages are causing ground trembling 50km away.

A source inside Luhansk tells me

“There are powerful night battles on the front line in the LPR.

50 km away in Lugansk, the earth shudders from terrible explosions.

Fights with the use of artillery of the largest calibers can be heard from the direction of Pervomaisk-Stakhanov.

Something terrible is happening on the front line, you can hear it all the way in Lugansk.

There at the front line, probably, the earth is boiling.

You can also hear heavy work from us, we are hitting them with volleys of MLRS, and the arrivals are thumping, the earth is trembling,”

We are hearing the most violent and intense artillery and rocket attacks that we have ever heard since the start of the conflict 8 years ago!”

Kodachrome Stories

‘Easy Target For Chinese Subs’ – Why China’s New Attack Submarine With VLS Could ‘Deeply Endanger’ IAF Bases

Military experts believe that a vessel spotted in a Chinese shipyard in recently obtained satellite photographs could be a new or upgraded class of nuclear-powered attack submarine. The submarine is seen in a dry dock in Huludao Port in Liaoning province, as per images obtained by Reuters from private satellite imagery supplier Planet Labs and others circulating on social media. However, it is unclear whether the submarine seen in the images is a brand-new design, an improvement of an older vessel, or something entirely different.

From HERE.

Comments:

How about those sanctions? European Gas Buyers Switch to Ruble Payments – It’s reported another 14 firms – on top of the existing 20 – have requested the paperwork to set up accounts too. Italy and Germany – huge consumers of Russian gas – are among those that have switched. Draghi Says “Most Gas Importers” Have Opened Ruble Accounts With Gazprom

Ukrainian refugees are showing their mettle by knifing and killing a man in Poland who stepped up to defend a young woman that was harassed by the refugees. Other stories are coming out of Europe of refugees refusing to live next to people that are not white and four of them just decided to grab a villa in France, belonging to a Russian, and they moved right in. This trend can only continue.

A further trend: All of the reliable commentators on the SMO indicate that it is soon over. We do not know the shape that it will take though. Martyanov speaks about a definite trend on accelerating demoralization of VSU and the pronounced trend on the collapse of the VSU defenses as we can see from lack of equipment, ammo and very high losses. Ritter in his last video, talks about days or weeks. Larry Johnson talks about a Ukraine headed for defeat.

Glamorous Vintage Camper

A rare and fully restored ‘Holiday House Geographic’ midcentury trailer is for sale – and it offers a taste of modernist living on the open road. Only seven of the fibreglass caravans – designed by industrial engineer Chuck Pelly in 1962 with an original price tag of $8,500 – were ever made and only two thought to still exist.

Following its renovation by Oregon-based Flyte Camp, the four-berth Model X trailer is now for sale, priced at $250,000. It features an aluminium and wood frame, in a champagne and moss green colourway. Interiors meanwhile feature walnut surfaces and aluminium details, and moss-coloured upholstery and teak flooring.

And…

And…

Inside, the trailer features a black walnut skin that gives it a dark, cozy feel. The cabinetry and hardwood floors are also black walnut with custom aluminum detailing and LED strip lighting to add a bit of glamor. A sleek kitchen includes a stainless two-burner cooktop, a stainless-steel fridge, and a shiny sink with a built-in drain board.

And…

And…

And…

Heading To Scrapyard! US Navy To Discard Its ‘Brand New’ Warships Designed To Hunt Chinese Submarines

Apparently, US latest (so-called) advanced and most expensive war ships promoted years back are total BS in font of the latest PLA submarines and warships.

At a time when the US has acknowledged that it has fewer ships compared to its rival China, America’s naval chief Admiral Michael Gilday told the House Armed Services Committee that approximately nine ships should be scrapped, some of which were commissioned very recently.

Admiral Gilday justified the plans to discard nine relatively new warships in the 2023 fiscal year despite trying to outmatch China’s burgeoning fleet. Three of the littoral combat ships that are proposed to be decommissioned are just three years old.

Admiral Gilday told the House Armed Services Committee that the anti-submarine ships could not perform their primary job.

“I refuse to put an additional dollar against a system that would not be able to track a high-end submarine in today’s environment,”

Gilday said.

According to the Navy’s projected FY23 budget, retiring the ships will save the service about $391 million. However, this would only cover a small portion of the $3.2 billion costs of the nine littoral combat ships.

Having said that, the US Navy intends to decommission the warships to allocate resources for investing in a more robust and combat-ready fleet.

“The US Navy cannot outpace an increasingly capable PRC by retaining platforms that are decreasingly relevant in modern naval warfare.

While some of these platforms may have day-to-day utility in permissive environments, the Navy’s first obligation is to deliver a ready, combat-credible fleet with the funding Congress appropriates. Simply maintaining the capabilities of today’s fleet will be insufficient to both preserve our long-term interests and protect America. Quantity is not synonymous with quality. We must modernize to maintain our maritime edge”, said Admiral Gilday.

The USS Indianapolis, USS Billings, and USS Wichita were all commissioned in 2019, which indicates that ships that are barely halfway through their anticipated service lives are to be sent to the scrap.

Additionally, the US Navy intends to decommission six more littoral combat ships, all of which are single-hull Freedom variants rather than the trimaran Independence variants. Both the variants can reach speeds of more than 40 knots (74 kilometers per hour).

USS Wichita had conducted a bilateral maritime interdiction with the Dominican Republic earlier this month.

The Freedom-class variants were all homeported in Mayport, Florida, according to a 2016 Navy plan, and were mostly used in Atlantic Ocean missions, while the Independence-class ships were based in San Diego and primarily used in the Pacific.

The US Navy describes the Littoral Combat Ship (LCS) as a type of Small Surface Combatant that is meant to enable access to joint forces in the littorals. LCS can operate independently or as part of a networked battle force that comprises larger, multi-mission surface fighters in high-threat settings.

The decision is an embarrassing acknowledgment that some of the Navy’s newest ships aren’t up to the task of contemporary warfare.

Despite the Navy’s plan to demolish the vessels, Congress has the ultimate authority over the military budget and has previously rejected pleas to decommission warships. As politicians focus on countering China’s ever-increasing navy and narrowing the gap between the US and Chinese fleets, scrapping the warships may become even more difficult.

Do You Have Jason Bourne in Custody? | The Bourne Supremacy

Great Hollywood. I never had to do anything like this, but it sure is enjoyable to watch. But, you know, trust me… you all don’t ever want to be in this kind of situation.

Watch “War of the Three Kingdoms Episode 1” on YouTube

"My son told me today he begun to watch the three Kingdom 2 weeks ago, and now get addicted to the history drama series. - <Redacted>"

During the Mao era, all the top leaders read this book. It is a mind opener with a wide range of knowledge that includes war strategies, human phycholgy, HR management, diplomacy, spy and intelligence, targeting individual human weakness etc.

Total 95 episodes. With English subtitle.

I am sure once you begin, you will have your ass glued on the seat.

Do you want more?

You can find more articles related to this in my latest index; A New Beginning. And in it are elements of the old, some elements regarding the transition, and some elements that look towards the future.

New Beginnings 4

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Spies, Nazis, Beautiful Women, Mobs, Daredevil Explorers, Heroes & Traitors In Incredible Adventure Artworks Of Mort Künstler

Mort Künstler is best known today for his vivid paintings of scenes from American history, specifically the Revolutionary War and the Civil War. These works have been featured in books and calendars, and spotlighted in exhibitions around the country.

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Less known is Künstler’s early work in men’s adventure magazines, a unique genre that populated newsstands from the 1950s through the late ‘70s. Also known as “men’s sweats,” because most covers featured a sweaty, shirtless guy facing some type of peril, scores of adventure titles vied for a reader’s attention with eye-popping headlines such as “Death Orgy of the Leopard Women” and “Weasels Ripped My Flesh!”

Men’s adventure magazines were the bastard child of the popular pulp magazines of the ‘20s, ‘30s and ‘40s, and many of the artists who worked for the pulps also put paint to canvas for this next evolution, most famous among them being Norm Saunders. Numerous publishers saw an easy buck in the men’s adventure magazines, but none more so than Martin Goodman’s Magazine Management, whose titles included Male, Stag, Action For Men, Battlefield, Complete Man, For Men Only, Man’s World, and many others.

Künstler started working for the men’s adventure magazines shortly after graduating from Pratt Institute in the early 1950s.

“I was a hungry guy, and I was persistent,” he says. “I clicked with several [men’s adventure magazine] publishers, and it almost became a competition for my services. I ended up with Magazine Management mostly because they paid better and offered me as much work as I could handle.”

Künstler also did a lot of work for other publishers, whose titles included True, Argosy, Adventure, American Weekly, and The Saturday Evening Post. The men’s adventure magazines specialized in lurid headlines and even more lurid covers, often depicting over-the-top war stories, daring tales of escape, deadly encounters with dangerous animals, and sex. Most of the stories were pure fiction but presented as fact – an easy way to lure gullible readers. Künstler illustrated them all with a straight face.

“I always tried to make my covers and interior illustrations as believable as possible,” he says. “That was my knack, and instrumental in why the magazines sold so well. And I was rewarded as a result. It worked out very well and I had a lot of fun with it.”

The stories with a sexual component sometimes made Künstler a little uncomfortable, and he admits to turning down a couple of assignments because of that. When he did say yes, however, the results were stunning – sexy in a clean, classical style.

“By today’s standards, none of them are offensive,” Künstler says, “but they were slightly risque. I never painted an illustration in which a woman’s breasts were seen; they were always covered by long hair or a torn blouse.”

More: Mort Künstler, Wikipedia

Ah.

Now, if you will, picture, if you can, a time before man buns and rompers on the covers of “men’s magazines.” A time before the easy reach of internet porn, when magazines were a source of escape, fantasy and inspiration.

We’re not talking GQ, Maxim or Esquire, but instead titles that left nothing to the imagination, like Complete Man’s Magazine or True Men Stories or All Man or my personal favorite (for obvious reasons), Stag.

The publishers didn’t try to mine focus-group-driven demographic data to determine their audience. The editorial staff knew who they were after: Men.

Real men.

Guys who were just coming back from war or who were headed back into it.

Guys who were away from their families, girlfriends and wives, who wanted nothing more than to feel like a man in an environment that was trying to rob them of their souls.

They wanted to be transported back into the shit and to read stories about survival and sweat and combat and conquest.

These men’s magazines of the 50s and 60s offered the perfect respite from life’s drudgery. Packed with heroic stories of war or more salacious articles like the “‘Private Love Club’ Girls of London.”

Ads for well-paying jobs like meat cutting (“People Must Eat!”). These magazines went straight to the heart of what drives men to be only slightly-better-dressed cavemen. Action, adventure, women, fighting, danger, lust and an unwavering addiction to being a proud American.

The covers of these magazines were absolute works of art, typically depicting pulse-pounding scenes such as an outdoorsman shooting bloodthirsty wolves trying to attack his downed horse, a sailor rescuing crewmates from Nazis, or a swimmer beating a shark to death with a raft paddle.

Many of the publications featured artwork depicting the age-old damsel-in-distress with an imminent rescue by a Burt Lancaster-meets-Paul Newman type.

The foes didn’t matter — Nazis, bloodthirsty Mongolians or Pacific Island natives. What these stories had in common was that they raised the heart rate of the reader.

When I scrounged around the dusty, moldy boxes in an old used book store in a collapsing central Pennsylvania building, they had no idea that I was a fan of Men’s Magazines.

Before I unwrapped them, I could smell the musty pages that instantly transported me back to my grandfather’s basement, where I first saw some of these rags.

There was a stack there against a back wall sitting in a wooden apple crate wedged between an old oil tank piled with books and the remains of a sewing machine buried under bags of paperbacks.

I remember when I was a young boy.

Sometimes I would sneak down and leaf through them, not really understanding what I was looking at, but nonetheless fascinated by the pictures. I mean, how is an eight-year-old supposed to understand the subtle intricacies of article titles like “Nude Love Slaves of the Master of Pain”?

I got to see barely covered boobs on the covers and that was enough for me. (The “Playboy” stash would be uncovered later, scrounging though garbage cans outside. And yes, that was a different level of reading comprehension.)

Decades later, I still remember the impact of some of those covers, and this treasure trove that arrived in the mail was a perfect walk down memory lane.

I fell into the articles and pictures again, completely consumed by them.

Seriously, the cover images blew me away and I wanted to find out more about the artists who designed them.

Research kept leading me back to Mort Künstler, an illustrator and artist best known for his historical, war-themed pieces.

However, Künstler started like many of us do, freelancing for jobs as a way to pay the bills. In the 50s and 60s this meant illustrating the covers for many of the men’s pulp titles.

Want a man depicted fighting a shark? Künstler was your go-to guy.

There were others, of course.

Norman Saunders was also very well known for his illustrations across all men’s magazines, eventually branching out from pulp into westerns and science fiction. Saunders spent time as an MP and as a member of the Army Corps of Engineers during World War II.

Perhaps the military experience fine-tuned his skill at creating lifelike fantasy perfectly suited for pulp.

Throughout that period Künstler and Saunders progressed in their careers, prolifically creating works for magazines like National Geographic and Newsweek.

As cover art was slowly replaced by photography in the 70s, Künstler shifted directions and became a historical artist, while Saunders worked for Topps trading cards and continued illustrating other fantasy magazines.

There were several other artists that helped to shape this era as well, but many were never credited or else worked under pseudonyms so as to not affect their “real” art careers.

What they left in their wake, though, was an epic genre of images that sparked the imagination like no photography ever could.

At the time these magazines were being published, the country was in the midst of a cultural shift. Hippies were on the rise, political correctness was in its infancy, and we had Viet Nam looming.

These men’s magazines offered a release and a non-PC point of view. Drawn in by the cover art, the men who bought these mags were captivated by their stories that often blurred the lines between fact and fiction.

Inside these 25-cent rags there were no glossy pages or color photos. Each page was filled with black-and-white text on cheap, newspaper-type material. The articles were littered with testosterone-fueled, somewhat realistic fiction.

These pieces weren’t exactly an imitation of hardcore journalism — unless you are thinking of that other sort of hardcore.

Essentially, these magazines were eighty pages of pulp fodder, laced with sex, adventure, history and menace. The ads were reflections of society at the time, too.

Flipping through them, you could almost picture Don Draper sipping a third martini in his office before noon, dreaming up quick-hit ads that sold everything from love pills to binoculars to early precursors of cell phones.

What’s interesting is that all of the same types of ads are still in play today, only the quality of the images and sales copy has changed.

Suffice it to say, men are always going to be men, drawn to the same stuff. These magazines just gave zero F’s about subtlety. Remember, they weren’t trying to appeal to Harvard-educated executives. Their core readership were the GIs that had served in World War II or Korea, or who would be going to Viet Nam.

Pictures were key, but in-depth research was not. The heavyweight titles and subtitles were enough to keep the pages turning.

One of my favorite patriotic pictorials was simply titled, “Invasion!” It included grainy black-and-whites from Normandy. That would be cool in and of itself, but the subtitle was even better: It can be a platoon carrying M-1s or an Army corps backed by atomic cannon.

Once they’re dumped on that beach, an invasion boils down to just plain guts. Guns, guts, military superiority, nostalgia and pride. All the ingredients that would ensure the reader would come back for more.

But once the initial content got the reader’s heart pumping, it was time to send that blood elsewhere.

Toward the middle of the magazine were the women. Bikinis, bed sheets, blondes and brunettes — the centerfolds were tame by today’s standards.

Remember though, there was no Tinder, Instagram or PornHub for a guy to get his fix.

For a quarter, the reader was immersed in a world that catered to his every desire. From Japanese wrestling girls to The Case of the Nude Lady Bartenders.

These literary gems also tried to answer medical questions like “What is Sexual ‘Excess?’” (A good question if we’ve ever heard one.)

The back pages of the magazines were very much like they are today. A collection of ads, business “opportunities” and promises of better living through consumption. The publishers had the formula nailed.

As societal tastes have changed over the decades, so has the content of most major men’s magazines. Impossibly beautiful men living impossibly extraordinary lives are the substance that publishers and advertisers think we want.

As a middle-aged man with a few kids and a world-class “dad-bod,” I just can’t relate. I want to hear stories from guys with scars that they got in some unknown part of the world. Authenticity is what sells, and a bit of creative license here and there just makes the reading fun.

So, the next time you’re cruising the local bookstore or men’s magazines at the supermarket, take a look at the covers and ask yourself if there is anything actually piquing your interest.

Do you really want to learn “7 Secret Tips to Grooming the Perfect Beard?”

Or do you want to see a leather-clad biker saving his old lady from the clutches of the Nazi sadists?

Yeah, us too.

Yeah. I know.

It’s an old clichéd joke to say you read adult magazines for the articles. However, if you’re talking about men’s mags from the 1950s and 60s, there might actually be some truth in your statement.

Magazines like Playboy, Adam, Jem, and Rogue often featured genuinely well-written articles and short fiction.

Getting published in a men’s magazine wasn’t the shameful smudge on an author’s reputation as it is today – in fact, it was a common stepping stone for soon-to-be-famous authors.

But it isn’t just the stories that deserve respect – it’s the artwork that complimented them. Often sleazy and purposefully outrageous, the illustrations were designed to entice you to read the story in a not-so-subtle way.

In my mind, Mort Künstler was one of the best. And I hope that I can impress upon you all why I loved his work. What follows are some of his art, and I hope that it teleports you all to another time and place…

Defending a house full of school girls from the rampaging communist menace…

Escaping on a raft with beautiful ladies and trying to navigate over rapids while the enemy tries to bomb you with explosives tied to kites…

Assault on a Nazi German stronghold…

Fighting off pacific islanders while on a captured Japanese patrol boat, while you protect the beautiful lasses who want to be saved…

Fending off ME-109s with a “tommy gun” while in a high altitude balloon, as you try to infiltrate the German V2 secret rocket program…

Rescuing women in a slave rape camp from their evil Nazi captors…

The crew of a merchant marine ship sunk by the Japanese, take control of the submarine and claim it for themselves…

Fighting off mutant, rapid, attack gophers…

Blowing up a secret Nazi installation while saving a beautiful scuba-dame…

Crashing through a bases gate with a red haired raven…

Battling sharks while shipwrecked on the high seas…

Fighting the evil communist Chinese with help from pretty attractive native women…

Special forces seize the personal quarters of a ranking Nazi German officer and commandeer his (ahem) possessions…

Military vet fights off thugs to protect the pretty lass…

Bank robbery, mission impossible style…

Hunting bigfoot for fine eating…

Taking over a Nazi German training aircraft and using it to bomb German bridges…

When the airfield is under attack, the hero races to a forgotten vintage biplane on display…

Dealing with evil Chinese triad mobsters…

Secret mission and convincing an attractive lass to help…

Separating the women from the Japanese as spoils of war…

Captured and a meeting of the Sheik…

When elephants rampage!

Freeing Russian women from the pleasure quarters…

Battle of Midway.

The fighting of the giant stingray!

A femme fatale…

Braving the wild rino!

Fighting a very agressive panther.

Staked down in the sand and being fed upon by vultures…

There’s a new shirtless cowboy in town…

Lone survivors. A man and two lovely women.

Mob action on board a yacht.

An art of seduction…

Seduction of two Nazi officers.

The rescue of a dame…

Battle in the skies…

A bank robbery…

Saling in the rough South Pacific…

Fighting together…

Party times Nazi style…

Balloon fun…

Rescue of trapped ladies from the Japanese…with tanks!

Plans within plans…

More heists…

Capture of a German military train…

Raid in a casino…

Seduction of Nazi elite…

A ruse for the big attack…

A surprise awaits inside the tent…

A paratroop rescue from the wild barbarians…

Hiding from the evil Chinese commies…

Seizing the beauty from the military base…

A bomb based bank heist…

Remember the Catina!

battle on the high seas…

The rewards of vice…

Stealing the oil…

Placing bombs on the hulls of the evil Japanese navy…

Mobsters caught poaching…

Capturing a key bridge…

And inside of China, some serious skull duggery…

Shootout in the subway…

Brave race for life…

Top secret mission to the South Pole.

The rewards of ill gains can provoke female inspiration…

Escape from a prisoner of war camp…

A historical battle…

Or battling the evil Chinese communists on their home turf…

Tromping though Vietnam…

Or being rescued by attractive native dames…

A civil war story…

Or fighting the wild indians…

Surprise awaiting at home…

Learning how to survive in the Northern wilderness…

Fighting the British…

Defending the South…

Destruction of the South…

Fun and games in the French Foreign Legion…

Secret mission to destroy the evil communist navy…

Taking away valuable assets…

Breaking up an evil Nazi party…

Destruction of a SAM missile complex…

Gathering of battle forces…

Taking over the port…

Taking over Nazi submarines…

Fighting a wild bear…

Prep for battle…

Recon the enemies new secret weapon…

Wagon train adventures…

And so on, and so forth.

I hope you all enjoyed this. My fingers are tired. Have a great rest of the day.

Do you want more?

I have more articles like this one in my Art Index here…

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Having fun with the 007 movie Goldfinger (1964)

This is part 2 of my orgy of James Bond movies. This time it’s with a classic movie titled “Goldfinger”.

Usually during Christmas I spend extra time to make the holiday a little bit special. One way that I do this is with rituals, and pomp. That means a Christmas tree, some decorations and music. I also like to wear a special Santa hat. Another way is with food. KFC, and hot ham and tomatoes on fresh bread. Mustard with sausages, and lots of cold cuts. And a third way is with movies. Not just Christmas movies, but some older movies just for the fun of it. Today, we will chat a little about a nice fine James Bond movie “Goldfinger” (1964).

So you sit down with your favorite beverage. You gather your friends, family and pets. Or if it is late at night, you gather a bowl of potato chips alone, and sit down to enjoy this movie.

Today I would like to promote the idea of enjoying some delicious chocolate moose, on a nice tray, while you enjoy the movie.

Doesn’t that look tasty…?

And here is our hero;

James Bond fighting the powers of evil during the Cold War. He does look good in suits, and I really do like how he is able to keep his hair all nice and tidy when he gets involved in a tussle.

This movie differs from Dr No in that it is more action / adventure. There is more fighting. More science. More gadgets. and really only one girl that James Bond cavorts with.

Just one. Or maybe two.

Perhaps three.

But that’s it.

Tops.

It’s treated as a top 007 Bond movie because of that, but you know, I think that it fails in that regard as much as it is praised.

Certainly the laser beam that going to cut bond in two is enticing for the six year old boy inside of me, and the idea of scientific geniuses taking over the world has merit, but really, where’s the interesting chit-chat and the fine bed-side manner?

It’s all cavort and plunder. Cavort and plunder.

Hum…

She’s a feisty vixen. Eh?

I’ll bet you that she (removes the snarl and fierce expression) would be a blast to go out with. Maybe go for some nice dessert. And in my mind, a nice dessert is a strawberry shortcake. No question about it at all. hands down.

I know. I know. I know.

Strawberry shortcake is for Springtime dates, and Summer outings. Oh don’t fall for that disinformation. It’s just perfect anytime of the year. Look at just how Christmassy festive it is.

So imagine that you are out with this chick (girl). Her name is Pussy Galore…

Which in American slang means “always open for copus quantities of indiscriminate sex”. Which is kind of an “inside joke” if you are an American.

And then after a fine delicious strawberry shortcake, a nice walk down the boardwalk (well, I am imagining a seaside stroll after all). Then a stroll to the hotel, or bungalow.

Maybe a passionate embrace and wet sexy kiss once the door is closed.

I wonder what is going to happen in their relationship? Well, knowing what I know about James Bond movies I can extrapolate. Let’s see how accurate I am…

Oh my!

By their expressions it does seem like they are having some fun. I’ll bet that about twenty to forty minutes later, Bond is smoking a cigarette, and she’s just purring while looking at herself in the mirror, and primping a bit.

And I am not complaining. I think that women look their best while they are getting pretty. Not afterwards. Life is a journey. Not a destination. Which is why I wrote my article on why it is critically important for a woman to have her own very special vanity, with a HUGE circular mirror. HERE.

But you know, being a secret agent is difficult business…

You never know when a car passes you by and shreds up your tires! Yikes.

I’m not sure, but I believe that this movie was the one that set the trend for automobile gadgets in the James Bond vehicles. When I was younger I had a Corgi version of the James Bond car. It had a escape passenger seat, a rear shield that would cover the rear window, machine guns in the front, shredding do-hickeys in the wheels, and a jet engine exhaust in the trunk. It was pretty cool, I’ll tell you what.

Here we see Jame Bond in a well appointed private jet, and a very attractive Chinese stewardess. You know, I could never figure out why the costume would expose her cute belly, but not show her bellybutton. That belly button is the most erotic part of a woman’s belly, don’t you know.

But that’s life.

Hollywood has distinct rules on what can and cannot be shown on the “big movie screen”. And belly buttons are absolutely verboten! (Sounds of marching, goose-stepping Nazi Germans in the background. No. I’m not insulting Germans. I’m just playing with mental images of World War II movies.)

I see all the classics are on the shelves, as well as a quaintly dated telephone on the desk.

That “wood trim” is obviously cheep vinyl wall-paper. Sheech! You would think that evil scientists would appreciate the natural hues and textures of real wood in their private jet aircraft.

Vinyl is just…

…tacky.

Well, it is.

It’s sort of like giving a starving dog a rubber bone. It looks like the real things, but it isn’t and once you taste the bitterness of vacuum, the nightmare memories of what you thought you were getting ring like a hollow bell in a deep dark cavern.

Anyways, James Bond is a man of many talents.

Here’s James Bond tackling with some kind of a bomb. I’ll bet you that there a count-down going on and that he only has seconds left before every thing goes kablooey! How nice that the bomb has these red and yellow indicator lights and wires that you can rip out to render the bomb inert.

And here we have the “bad guys” trying to use a laser to break into Fort Knox to get all the gold there. Good luck with that! That place has been looted and sitting empty for decades.

Is it me, or does that laser look like a giant syringe?

The uniforms are curious. They are wearing battleship greys, and Chinese 19th century Boxer slipper. Though, I have yet to figure out what the black and yellow thing-a-min-jib around their waists are. Maybe it’s some kind of henchmen life preserver. Eh?

Why does the door to the vault look like a suburban garage door?

This movie has lots and lots of twists and turns. We’ve got James Bond fighting with landing a plane, laser beams, lots and lots of gold, henchmen, pretty girls with some fine charms and incredibly strong vixen capabilities.

The movie starts off with a bomb.

Seriously. There a bomb that has to be dealt with. And you know, it’s a job that only James Bond can handle.

That’s where things start to get interesting.

After a quick tussle, some fighting and the bathtub electrocution, we are introduced to the always calm and confident James Bond. I do love him in the white tux, and I have to admit that the red carnation is a nice touch. Don’t you all think so?

You will note that a white tux is formal, while a deep blue tux is for semi-formal events. Nice lapels, but I think a shawl collar would have been a slightly better touch. Look at those nice shoulders. A nice cut suit for certain.

Too bad he’s in what appears to be a garbage-variety boat garage. I can just smell the rotting fish, the stale dried sea moss, and hear the waves lap up against the bollards.

So many cool things in the movie don’t you know.

There’s all sorts of cool adventures. All done and carried out in a span under five minutes. Bombs, killings, good guys, bad guys. Nice fancy and swanky venues.

Even a few cats.

Somehow Bond finds his way into a room with an attractive nude woman taking a bubble bath in the tub. Of course, this is the 1960’s and since he is wearing a tux, and he is (after all) James Bond, he seduces her which his devilish good looks…

…and well, you can guess the rest.

After the credits finish rolling, we find James Bond by the pool.

Certainly the fashions have changed, but a beautiful girl is a beautiful girl, and I for one would not throw her into the pool. I’ll tell you what.

I do like her cleavage. I wonder whats down there. Maybe some money, a set of keys, or a venomous poison spider to attack 007 with. Being a secret agent is a risky business, don’t you know.

Boy!

James bond is hairy. Don’t you think?

Ah. But the ladies don’t mind. They think it is sexy.

Of course, my chest hair is all white, and sometimes my wife absentmindedly plucks a chest hair away. Ouch! Come on girls. It’s sensitive!

Oh, and by the way, I do like how all the maids fall into the arms of James Bond. He’s quite the “Ladies Man” don’t you know.

Look at his legs. So very hairy as well. No wonder he is rarely shown rearing shorts.

He really is, however, quite the ladies man.

Here’s James Bond “copping a feel” with the fine girl that massaged the oil on his back. I note that the evil villain NPC smiles in approval.

There’s many half-clad girls in James Bond movies.

Here’s a chick that will feature predominately later on. Shes busy on the VHF, or is it a UHF, or maybe just a CB radio. She’s got a fine backside. Nice and oiled up and toasty from the hot sun. She’s really just eye candy for the audience, though, don’t you know.

She’s a lure to take James Bond on an adventure.

Of course, we know that shes a spy.

Gasp!

And James Bond is going to use her… well, he thinks anyways. Here she is spying away. And James is very interested in her technique. And she, obviously, is very interested in his manly chin.

The movie has all sorts of interesting adventures and situations.

And some of the most interesting occur in, on, and beside, the beds. But you know, for some reason there’s always telephones near and on the beds. I mean… really. You want to rest on a bed, or you want to have sex on a bed. But the telephone is just a distraction. You really don’t want to be interrupted when you are in a dream, or having sex. I mean, that’s just not fun. How can you concentrate?

Right?

Nothing quite breaks up the mood as a ringing telephone when you are in the middle of something interesting.

Oh, and by the way, she’s a pretend blonde. You can tell by her eyebrows. She’s intentionally dyed her hair a harlot platinum blonde. Not that it’s bad, mind you. I happen to enjoy harlots. It’s a personal favorite activity of mine, don’t you know. But I do like women to be themselves.

I am so turned on by a woman wearing pajamas, in the house, or a tee shit and jeans outside rather than get all dressed up. Of course, I do enjoy when a woman gets dressed up, but on the sexiness scale, a “real” woman being herself just oozes sex. It’s like when they cook food. OMG.

There is few things sexier than a woman cooking.

Well, aside from coming out of the shower.

Anyways…

Anyways, having sex with James bond can be dangerous. As is shown in this scene here…

…Yikes!

For you all who are unawares, this chick didn’t get a chance to read the “Time magazine” on the table, nor flick though those stacks of phone books. Poor girl. She has missed on on so much.

Well…

Life goes on.

Here he is flirting with his bosses secretary…

Ah, there’s a lot of things happening…

And I don’t want to give away the plot.

But, I can give you a hint of things to come. There’s guns, sex, difficult situations, lasers, plans, evil, and airplanes.

A lot of things happen from here to there.

There’s a guy , Asian no doubt, that has this decapitating hat, and he’s a sight to behold. The evil genus is a pug-like portly fellow.

However, things aren’t always tea and crumpets. Sometimes you can get hit on the head and wake up on a slab with a evil laser ready to cut you into two.

Not that I ever had THAT particular experience, don’t you know.

And on and on.

Oh! By the way. Do you all put up stockings for Christmas? We do. And we fill it with these little Japanese (actually Chinese, sold under a Japanese brand name) little figurines, and some healthy candy.

You do not have to spend a lot of money on Christmas. All you need to do is make it special for the ones you love.

And that, of course means left over turkey sandwiches…

This one looks like it uses English muffins, or grilled crumpets, potato bread with coleslaw, cranberries, stuffing, and turkey to make the delicious dish. I would add hot turkey gravy, myself.

Or, turkey soup..

And what is soup without some nice crusty bread and butter / cheese. Eh?

Here we see Bond and his latest newly acquired vixen friend trying to land a dangerously out of control airplane.

Of course, everyone is concerned.

You can tell that they are by looking at their expressions in the airport control tower. It’s all a matter of high international importance!

But you know all ends well.

James Bond lands safely using a parachute, and he and his vixen friend decide to celebrate! You know, in ways that are relaxing, strenuous, and enjoyable.

Twenty minutes later, Bond is smoking a cigarette, and the Vixen (whose name is Pussy Galore – wonder if she lives up to the name) is adjusting her hair so the next great adventure.

A happy ending

Now wasn’t that nice?

If I were to host a movie party…

Obviously I don’t. My idea of a movie is a rare thing that I do as a special family time. But in the past I would host a movie “party”. But I used to do it. And if I were to do it again, I would project the movie big on the wall. (I used to do this, but the projector remains stolen. Sigh.)

And I would play some vintage “Let’s go to the movie” cartoons, and about three or four vintage movie trailers. To get the entire scene going. Not to mention popping some popcorn for the proper smells of a movie theater.

If you are going to do something, why not go all out and make it special? Hum?

Now for some fun

Now for a real gold-finger girl. Video 2MB

And a Christmas girl…

Merry Christmas to you all from China. video 2MB

Sexy video 1

This video is so sexy! video 3MB

Sexy video 2

Man oh man! Sexy! video. 1MB

Sexy girl 3 plus a fine pussy.

How to make delicious gourmet cat food. OMG, and a kitty cat too! video 3MB

And some real deal fun . fun . fun.

Bouncy – bouncy – bouncy. Put it on a loop. Jeeze!

I could watch this all day. LOL. Video 1MB

Finally…

Spend time with your friends. Life is too short not to have fun. video 2MB

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Enjoying the 007 movie Dr No (1963) as a fine pastime with friends and family

It’s a classic, and I love it. Guys wearing tuxes, nice suit jackets, cavorting with pretty ladies who are wearing gowns, bikinis, or just a simple towel. And the gambling, alcohol and the cigarettes. Not to mention the occasional fist fight and small arms fire. Classic. It speaks to the man in me.

No CGI here. It’s mostly dialog and chatting.

I can really relate to this scene. Can’t you?

Why do women look so tasty when their hair is disheveled? And my oh my, why aren’t men wearing blazers any more. Look at now nice it fit him.

Simple blazer. Simple black tie. Simple blue-white shirt. All alone in a tropical bungalow. You can almost smell the tropical lushness, hear the ocean waves, and listen to the tropical birds out the window.

Oh, and my she does have nice shoulders. Doesn’t she?

Nice tux. With a nice thin bow tie. He looks good, don’t you think?

When a man wears a tux, all eyes should be on the lady that accompanies him. In this case she is wearing an eye-popping red dress with one shoulder exposed. It’s her best shoulder, I believe. Nice lips. Look at her lips. And by the way, those earrings are nice match for the dress. Lips, fingernails, dress all nicely coordinated.

She’s carrying a gold purse and lots and lots of gambling chips. My goodness!

Here’s a great shot showing all the cool gadgets 007 has. In this scene he is off picnicking and cavorting with a beautiful gal in a nice pattern bikini, while talking on a telephone in his car! Imagine that! A phone in the convertible. WOW!

The phone plays a big role in this particular James Bond flick. You have phones in cars. Phones in hotel rooms. Phones in the rooms of the beautiful girls. Phones with the bad guys. Phones with the evil doctor. Phones in the 007 office and phones on the bed.

Nothing like making a quick call while you are discussing important matters in bed with the girl you just met.

Pack of cigarettes, and a notepad by the bed. Oh, how charming!

I once read that by wearing a tux, the perceived attractiveness of a man increase three points. (On a scale of zero to ten.) There’s something about a well made, well fitting, tux, with the clean lines and appearance that speaks to me. Too bad I never have any opportunities to wear my tuxes any more. The last time I wore it was at my father funeral.

I think that a tux is better reserved for seduction, personal enjoyments and pleasures. Who doesn’t want to look their best? And besides, any (American) policeman would think twice before pulling over or arresting anyone in a tux.

The room decor seems a bit dated. For a while in the 1960’s everyone seemed to have paintings / pictures of clowns, cats with big eyes, and old fashioned cars. Don’t ask me why. It was a “thing” back then.

Like this…

Yeah. I guess that you would need to have lived through that area to appreciate it.

I do love this next picture. He thinks he’s in control, but it’s really the woman who is controlling the entire scene.

Hey! Do you all know what goes great with a nice James Bond classic movie? Aside from beer or wine?

That’s right.

Cheese, crackers, bread and cold cuts. My father used to make up a platter of these kinds of cheeses, sardines, olives, pickles, and crackers when he would watch a movie. It sort of looked a little bit like this…

I suppose everyone is different. I hear that the preferred snack food in the States these days are Doritos, or Lays potato chips. I can understand why, but you all know that you need to have a decent dip with them to fully appreciate and savor the enjoyment of the food.

Now, when I was growing up, one thing that my father liked to do was eat Limburger cheese sandwiches with a big thick slice of tomato. Yeah, I guess it’s sort of a generational thing don’t you know. He also liked liverwurst. I ended up getting a taste for it myself, but only on sandwiches.

Anyways, Christmas is a time of many things. For me I really enjoy the movies, the food, the friends and the general atmosphere. It’s a chance to eat well, and to eat things that you enjoy. You know, most of the time people don’t give pickles a second thought, but at Christmas time, well that’s when all the dill pickles, the baby gherkins, and the Grandma’s butter chip pickles come out. Yum!

This next picture show some lousy bread, but some pickles and good selection of cheese. Personally I think that the ingredients are enough for one or two sandwiches max. Kinda skimpy if you ask me. But it looks good. Oh, yeah. Don’t forget the horseradish, the wasabi, the kielbasa, and the various kinds of relishes that can be bought and found everywhere.

Sometimes you don’t always have the right ingredients on hand, so you make do.

i think that it’s really a great thing to do, don’t you know, to sit down with a glass of wine. Some fine cheeses, and watch an older movie. I really enjoy the older movies. they are not so adrenaline-rush run-run-run action packed CGI affairs. It’s full of personal interactions, gestures, and movements. It’s more intellectually stimulating.

And more so with wine, cheese, and olives.

Did I ever mention that olives go great with wine? I really think so. A fine green or black olive dip is just wonderful. You heat up some olive oil with some thin cut up olives and mushrooms. A little Italian spices, and then spread the olives and mushrooms on the french bread. Oh so tasty.

The you sit down and watch the interesting interplay on the movie.

I do love that phone. It was state of the art back then. See the nice rattan chairs on the balcony on the porch, and the Chinese themed dangling red ornamental lantern. Curious eh? I most especially love the shadow of the phone cord on her soft chest. Sexy but not overt.

Of course, I am an old man, and this lass was my mothers age. So I’m looking back in time. When this movie was made, we had Robert Kennedy in office, and he was talking about getting out of Vietnam and shutting down the military-industrial complex. As it was getting too powerful.

Well, we do know what happened to him, don’t we?

Here’s some lox and bagels. You see the salmon to the left, and a fine cream cheese spread. You put the cream cheese on the bagel. Then lox, then lemon, then tomatoes and onions. Don’t forget the olives. (I note some sliced hard boiled eggs. What an interesting turn of events!) The wine is not shown, but no matter. Maybe a fine glass of orange juice is near by.

A good movie serves as a perfect excuse to eat.

And speaking about Christmas, James Bond, food and movies… I will bet you all that the most festive places to spend Christmas at must be in a pub or a brasserie. I remember one Christmas (When I say Christmas, I actually mean the entire month of December, and into January.) I went to an Irish Pub. Wow! So very festive. Drinking pints. Singing songs. Eating bangers and mash.

Bangers and mash served with a good stout. Yum!

I think that there is something really magical and special about the pub environment. It’s something that never was present in the Untied States. Pretty soon, America will probably ban bars completely. You know follow in the footsteps of NZ in banning everything. You know. “For the children”. Sigh.

I can only imagine what it must be like in Scotland, Ireland or in the UK today. Chilly and damp, but warm inside the pubs. I tell youse guys that you are so fortunate to be where you are. Don’t take what you have for granted. It’s special.

Here’s the interior of a typical British pub. People are hanging out. Talking, chatting. Drinking beer. Not too much in the way of electronic media, eh? Nope. Just companionship, friendship and acceptance. I really love that.

I hear that some pubs really get festive and decorate everything up. I have no first hand knowledge about that. What I do know is what I have seen on the internet, and some places do more than just put up a tree. They make it special.

There are pubs in Hong Kong, and some are very nice. I can imagine that there would be pubs all over the former British territories. I haven’t gone to the pubs in Hong Kong in years, even though I can see Hong Kong from my living room. It’s the Coronavirus thing don’t you know.

Now in Australia, they have these things called a brasserie. They are not found in the USA because one reason or the other. It’s hard to tell why. I happen to like them.

In France, Flanders, and the Francophone world, a brasserie is a type of French restaurant with a relaxed setting, which serves single dishes and other meals. The word brasserie is also French for "brewery" and, by extension, "the brewing business". A brasserie can be expected to have professional service, printed menus, and, traditionally, white linen—unlike a bistro which may have none of these. Typically, a brasserie is open Wednesday to Sunday and serves the same menu all day. A good example of a brasserie dish is steak frites. 

-Wikipedia

The last time that I was in Sydney, Australia it was near Christmas time, and I truly enjoyed the Brasserie’s there. Again, like a pub, it was cheery and festive and warm. It was a very comfortable atmosphere to hang out in and enjoy the time with friends or family.

Anyways, one of the things about Christmas is that you can socialize and spend time at home too relaxing. Good food. Being around those that you care about. Talking. Chatting. Exploring. Listening. Man, I need to do more listening, I’ll tell you what.

And watching good movies that relaxes and stimulates. Like 007 James Bond.

James on the beach being warned by the locals of hidden dangers and adventure.

In Dr. No, James Bond travels to the Caribbean. Being well attired, he meets interesting and colorful people. He embarks on a mission to save the world from evil and their evil influences. All the time enjoying the company of the attractive lasses whom he meets along the way.

Typically, as I would watch this kind of movie, I would set a platter or a plate of food nearby to smunch and nibble with. During Christmas, I’m trying to assign special foods like French breads, chocolate, and peanut-butter. Not to mention the aromas wafting from the kitchen of fresh bead in the bread making machine (fun fact, I helped design bread makers for Sunbeam-Oster) and simmering sauces on the stove with garlic, onions, spices and peppers.

Here’s a lox and bagel platter.

Or course, my household always has alcohol.

You know, I never drank as much as I do now prior to my “retirement”. After I was retired, I pretty much said “Fuck this”. And stopped worrying about what other people thought. If I wanted to smoke, I smoked. If I wanted to drink, I’d drink. If i wanted to to spend some time in a bedroom with a new friend, I would. You know, the USA has so many restrictions on you, that you have to tear them off and say STOP!

Live life on your terms.

Like James Bond.

Jame Bond talking with his bosses secretary. I do love the tea set on the filing cabinet.

Most men like to imagine ourselves like James Bond. Wearing a tux. Going to interesting places. Eating good food, and drinking. Being the master of our world. Cavorting with pretty women, and making new friends every night.

Alas, most of us is something else. We are actually more like Bruce Willis in “Die Hard”. That movie resonated to me on all sorts of areas and for all sorts of reasons. Of course, one is simply because of my MAJestic role. But another is because I am really just a normal guy; a regular man.

That’s John McClane. (Bruce Willis).

It’s neither good or bad. It’s just that being Bruce Willis in “Die Hard” is far more painful than being James Bond in “Dr No”. It’s something that us men can relate to. It’s about life, and being thrown into situations that aren’t really what you ever intended to happen.

Which is why movies are great. All movies, if they are well done, can become something that you not only enjoy, but something that you can relate to on some level.

Like food.

Move review of Dr No, on “Empire“;

The beginning of the super-successful franchise, this remains one of the most satisfying Bond films.  Connery, with only a hint of irony, is the suave secret agent, introduced at a gaming table while lighting an expensive fag, enjoying an expense account Caribbean holiday that must have seemed like  unparalleled hedonism to British audiences who’d only just got over rationing. 

The license to kill gets several endorsements as Bond efficiently and brutally sees off dastardly baddies who are threatening world peace, and – in another fantastical touch – Britain holds the key to the balance of power. 

Dr No, a German-Japanese genius with metal hands, is about as credible as Fu Manchu, but Joseph Wiseman mints all the Bond villain clichés, from the gorgeously-designed island lair (courtesy art director Ken Adam) with built-in nuclear power plant (and a then-famously-stolen portrait of the Duke of Wellington hung on the wall) through to purred threats and attempts to convince 007 to sell out and join his evil organization (‘I thought you had some style, Mr Bond, but I see you’re just a stupid policeman’).  And, of course, there’s Ursula Andress as prototypical Bond girl Honey Ryder, emerging from the seas in a bikini with a knife strapped to her thigh, with her own reasons for wanting to see Dr No’s scheme for world conquest thwarted. 

That twangy guitar theme and the gunsight-iris titles sequence are in place already.  Series regulars Bernard Lee (M) and Lois Maxwell (Moneypenny) make their debuts, but Peter Burton plays Q (to be replaced by Desmond Llewellyn) and Jack Lord is CIA agent Felix Leiter (to be replaced by a succession of stooges).

Here’s James Bond deep inside the secret lair…

I do love how the attractive woman gathers near to him. You know, I like her better in this dress than the bikini (with the knife strapped to her thigh). Notice that she has her top button unbuttoned. That’s not how you wear a qu pao. But it is erotic.

What do you think of her hair?

In those days all the ladies wore their hair “bee hive” style. I think that she started the trend for flowing lions manes like Raquel Welch in “one million years BC.”

You know, as much as I love this movie, you have to admit that the women of the 1960’s were all stunners.

Here’s Raquel Welch. I personally think that she would have made a fine, fine Bond girl. Don’t you?

Well, the point here is that Christmas is a time of togetherness. And that means making friends, spending time with the friends and family that you do have, and that you spend the time eating, drinking and talking. Emoting and sharing.

Whether it is in a pub, or at home in a restaurant. It does not matter.

Now, I do have to admit that my little daughter is not so interested in these kinds of “grown up” movies. She is more apt to watch “Peppa Pig”, or some kid-oriented Christmas movie. So you have to take that into account.

Though, she really enjoys “Two Broke Girls”. Who figures?

But she also really likes to sit by me (MM) – her daddy, and taste what I am eating, and be next to me. As a two year old she has a short attention span, so it’s still a trial. But it’s a precious trial. it’s family. It’s togetherness. It’s special.

I believe that a good movie is best shared with friends, family, alcohol and lots of delicious food. Oh, and a cat or two as well.

Oh yes. Did I fail to mention that cats love snack trays as well.

What would your cats do to a snack tray with thin sliced meats, salmon, and sausages? Well, I can tell you that they would jup up, snag a tasty morsel and then scamper away with it. Especially the ham. My goodness!

James Bond eating with Dr. No, and enjoying a fine smoke. Not much on the table though. Fruit and wine.

I love that view of the underwater ocean behind Dr. No. Not only does he have a secret lair built inside a volcano, but it reaches deep down underground and has windows so that the staff can enjoy the ocean view. How thoughtful of him. You see, bad guys aren’t all that terrible!

Here’s another scene. I love the newspaper on the bed, and the rotary dial phone nearby. What’s with her wearing high heels to bed? Are those her house slippers? If so, where the fur lining? Oh, sometimes the 1960’s can be so very confusing to me, don’t you know.

I have always loved the simple white robe on a woman.

You know, eating all the foods while you watch these olde timey movies can put some weight on, and make your belly grow. You don’t want to look nine months pregnant with twins, do you?

The way to control this is to add some nice fruit. Pay the extra money and buy some fruits that you normally don’t buy. Like cherries, or duran, or grapes. Don’t let the cost dissuade you. Let Christmas be the time for “outrageous” purchases.

Notice the generous quantities of cheese and meats.

Of course, with James Bond, you will always have the guns and the violence. But in Dr. No it’s rather tame. Less than 50 people were killed, and the karate chops were all rather quick and simple. No matrix-style events, or Chinese flying warriors walking on tree tops here.

It’s all rather calm and relatable.

Nice grey suit. I do like the black tie with the grey suit. It fits him nicely. It’s a nice color combination, and the cut of the suit fits him. It’s well cut, nice thin material, it’s the tropics after all, and his hair is always in place. Must be the Brill-creme hair tonic.

Here’s another view. You know it must be sweltering on the beach, but James Bond is calm and composed. His nice jacket sways in the slight breeze, while the boat captain is sweating in his red tee shirt.

When you make up a food spread choose your foods carefully.

Don’t go for processed cheese spread. Use real cheese instead. Do not use cheap inexpensive margarine. Use real salted bread instead. Do not use cheap chocolate with fillers. Use real chocolate. Pay the extra money to make the holiday special.

And presentation is everything.

Ok, so you aren’t going to drink wine. You are going to drink coke instead. Well then, crush up the ice and fill a tall glass with crushed ice, then pour the coke into the hyper iced glass. Presentation is everything. Wine uses wine glasses. Whiskey uses thick glass base tumblers, and beer, well… an iced mug is precious.

And when you are enjoying the movie, taking the savory bites, and chatting with friends and loved ones observe. Observe what they are doing, and saying and what is going on in the movie. All sorts of little details will “pop out” at you if you just are mindful…

And enjoy yourself.

Smile, say only good things. Listen to what others want and GIVE IT TO THEM. No need to argue. SO what? Make their day special. It’s a good feeling. And if someone wants to sing Christmas carols, then sing along. Get the dog a barking, and the cats following with you all as your all parade around the house to “Frosty the Snowman”.

Live life.

Live life on your terms.

Live like James Bond.

And be your best.

Smile, be kind, be helpful and do what you can to make the season special for all those around you.

Christmas is not about buying gifts, but you know, if you have gifts to wrap up, go overboard. Like @old-wine has. My goodness!

And if you are not so talented, like MM here, perhaps something simpler like a bunch of aluminum foil wrapped ham and cheese sandwiches that toast comfortably in the oven.

Have a great time with your loved ones.

Show your appreciation, and share a good 007 James Bond movie. You will enjoy it. I promise you.

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Why are Chinese skies so pristine blue all the time? What happened to all the air pollution?

When I first came to China back in the 1980’s, China was a poor land. The roads were dirt, and the cities looked very disorganized, dirty, and poor. it was very primitive. Public restrooms were horrible, the people were rural, even in the cities, and the police looked like some cross between Mad Max and a Mongolian mountain guide. And as I traveled back and forth from the USA to China and back, I saw first hand how it developed, changed and improved. It has been amazing.

Today China is simply amazing. It really is. This is true on oh, so many levels. And today we are going to talk about one of those things that no one ever addresses in a visceral way; the deep blue skies of China.

What? You might ask.

According to all the “experts”, China is a polluted wasteland of child workers, trash, poor unsanitary facilities, and gloom. Well it is not. It’s a merit-driven nation of hard workers, a harmonious culture, and society, and an enormous land with a deep and impressive culture and history.

But that doesn’t stop the Western media from continuing to bash it so relentlessly.

Do a Google search on China pollution, and you get millions of articles (all out of America and the UK) about how terrible and polluted China is. So, judging from the great magnitude of articles, it must be true. Right?

CNN takes a picture of a dust storm in Beijing and claims that it’s pollution. FOX takes a picture of China in the early 1990’s and provides the impression that it is contemporaneous. Yahoo “news” bans any comments out of China to their China-hate articles. The BBC takes clips from an expat blog, uses photoshop to colorize it into greys and dark hues to give the illusion of a dirty, oily, filthy place.

And the articles. Jeeze!

And then they make all these graphs, and maps to show pollution quality. Giving the reader the perspective that the air must just be fucking awful.

China air pollution from the American company “Listverse”.

Western “news” is simply manipulated propaganda for the domestic audience. Those of us who know better shouldn’t read it. It provides zero benefit to us.

Today, we are going to compare apples with other apples. We are going to compare orange with other oranges. And we are going to compare pizza with other pizza. These days of deception, half truths and manipulation are OVER.

Well, here we are going to chat about something that had to be pointed out to me. I have grown so accustomed to the blue skies here, that I take them for granted, when I shouldn’t. And with that as an introductory lead in, I will [1] address the fact that Chinese skies tend to be pristine, and then [2] how this all came about.

China has tamed air pollution in all of it’s forms, and China today has absolutely stunning skies.

Background

It all began when I posted this article HERE about a factory business trip that I took.I went to an industrial area, and visited some hard manufacturing factories.

People couldn’t get over how pristine blue the sky was, as that was not at all the impression that they had of China. They asked “where’s all the pollution”, “where’s the smog”, the “plumes of industrial clouds, and the forever white eye-burning skies? They asked where are the vapor plumes of the airline flights that create a network of white lines in the skies?

And that got me thinking.

As many times that I have mentioned over and over, and over that China has “cracked down” severely on pollution and enforces it with a very special of police known as the “corruption police”, people don’t get it. They don’t understand.

There are results as a consequence of these actions.

China does things, and then there are measurable and visceral results.

So when I take a drive up to visit a factory, I am used to the pristine blue skies, the brilliant and fresh green trees, the clear colors and razor sharp images. But others, who do not live inside of China aren’t.

What started this discussion

Here’s the videos and images that started this entire discussion…

In the following videos, please check out these embedded videos or their associated links to get the “full” experience. It’s almost as good as sitting in the car with MM getting there. video 46MB

All of rural China looks like this. It’s an entire nation of skyscrapers. This, believe it or not, is just a tiny, tiny village. video. 69 MB.

And this is what it is like. The factory sits on the edge of the tiny village, and so we just pulled in and went up to the front gate. Video. 32MB

But you know, it’s not just a trip to a factory. It’s not confined to the rural sections of China. It’s everywhere.

And I do live in Zhuhai

I know it is nice here. But I am not talking about only my city. I am talking about all of China. Video of Zhuhai. 1MB

But Zhuhai isn’t unusual. We are right outside of Hong Kong. Shenzhen is right across the bay. Combined, over 20 million people live within ten miles of my house. Which is a lot. New York City is only 6 million people! Yet, look at the skies here….

Near my house. Video 2MB

Downtown Gongbei Zhuhai at sunset. Video 2MB

Video Again. 2MB

But then again, let’s be real.

There’s rain, cloudy days, snow, squalls, fog, dust storms and other weather events that will turn the sky different than the pristine blue skies that I seem to encounter most of the time. video 16.7MB

Shanghai, and Hong Kong see a lot of fog. Overcast skies and fog seem to be the norm there. Shenzhen gets a lot of the overcast from the geographical wedging from the fog of Hong Kong and the mountains inland.

Beijing deals with dust storms.

And so on and so forth.

Some examples

Examples of blue skies, free of smog, pollution or aircraft vapor trails are everywhere. Just go onto the Chinese social media and watch the videos. Blue skies are everywhere. Seriously.

It’s like those High Speed Trains. They are common and everyday events. No one notices them.
It’s like those police drones in the sky, they are everywhere and no one notices them.
It’s like those thermal scans at all the entrance ways. No one cares or gives them any notice any longer.
It’s like paying using WeChat. It’s common and no one thinks about it at all.

But you know, we do need to take notice, and pay attention. The rest of the world do not have these kind of skies. Their cities have a dome of haze. Their suburbs are criss-crossed by airplane vapor trails. Their industrial areas have eye stinging smog and glare.

And I, for one, am going to point it out and celebrate it.

Here’s someone else driving in Hunan, China. video. 2MB

Here’s my ride in the DD. video

Here’s a cute BABY girl in the front of her house. Video 6MB

Here’s a ride taken yesterday from my house. I just filmed the ride as we pulled out of the building complex. video. 53MB

Here’s a nice girl being filmed at dusk video. 3MB

This looks like the mountains near Longgong, North of Shenzhen, China. video 4MB

Here’s a nice video showing the first graders getting their red scarves as part of the Pioneers. Everyone in China gets mandatory military trainings, and it all starts in first grade. video. 5MB

Here’s the Hong Kong, Macao and Zhuhai bridge. Video. 4MB

This girl is posing all over the city. I love these compilations with a pretty girl showing what China is like. Video. 10MB

Here’s another nice girl. Notice the sky and clarity of the air all around her. video. 4MB

Here’s a movie taken in front of my office. Video 14MB

Here’s another nice girl. video. 6MB

I took this video as I walked to my office in the morning. video 10MB

And another nice woman outside. video 3MB

Here’s the park outside the bridge near my house. video. 7MB

And, yet another girl. video. 4MB

The Chinese are so patriotic too. All of them trust their government, and the government really has earned their respect. Here’s a Pioneer. You can tell with the red scarve. video. 2MB

Let’s be real

Video 6MB

Yeah, it’s a non-stop hate fest against China, and while China changes, cleans up and moves forward the lies just keep a running. And the West, already ignorant, is really completely uneducated on the true and real state of things.

The crack down on pollution

China has made enormous strides in cracking down on pollution. Though you would NEVER read about that in the Western “news”. It’s all the continuing non-stop fantasy of China being the world’s polluter. If so, then why are Chinese skies so blue? Eh?

Here’s some articles about the Chinese efforts to stop, contain and eliminate pollution of all types.

Yeah, you probably saw these articles, but didn’t think too much about them. Maybe you should have read them, eh?

Yeah.

Pay some attention to the world around you and note who is doing all the complaining, and who is actually physically doing things; taking corrective measures, and actually making the world a better place. Eh?

When China says that it is going to do something, well you should take note. They actually do things. And when they say they are going to clean up China, and make it a healthy and clean place they do so.

China is very beautiful

YaoYao showing how beautiful Hunan, China is. Video 3MB

Video taken at a busy intersection waiting on our DD. Video. 12MB

Chinese first graders going through their military training exam. Everyone in China MUST take military training through their entire education system. It starts at first grade. Here’ is the first “final exam” where they are rate in their ability to compete an obstacle course. These kids are 6 years old. video. 9MB

Here’s a nice girl walking in one of the many, many parks here in China. She is wearing black. video. 3MB

Airplane vapor trails

Air Pollution Control Air pollution is arguably the most egregious environmental problem plaguing China. The central government has placed improving air quality as a priority on its agenda for the next several years, with China’s Premier Xi Peng pledging in March 2017 to “bring back blue skies” and work faster to address air pollution. 

- China - Environmental Technology

But why no vapor trails in the sky above? Well it appears that the Chinese government has placed pollution controls on all the domestic airlines, and this has really caused a great deal of consternation on the international airlines that want to operate inside of China domestically.

It costs too much money, they say, and they can’t earn the kinds of profits that they need to please their shareholders. They argue that they MUST make a profit because they must answer to their owners who demand profits.

Meanwhile, China reports that the role of the government is to provide affordable, food, clothing, shelter transportation and a comfortable standard of living to it’s people. The government should not be a for-profit enterprise.

Because the foreign airlines cannot meet the tough environmental, and pricing requirements that China provides for it’s citizenry, the airlines had a fit. They then worked with the United States to “crowbar” and “strong arm” China to change it’s polices so that foreign companies can profit off the Chinese citizenry inside of China.

Blue skies everywhere

This girl is skateboarding near my house. The building in the background is the Zhuhai Opera House. Video. 10MB

You can actually see the Opera House from my living room. Here’s a video that I took not too long ago. Video. 26MB

Here’s one of our photoshoots. This one took place at around 5:00 in one of the parks down the street. Video. 21MB

Conclusions

96 percent of Chinese people owned their own residence. More than 50 percent of the Chinese people grow their own food and produce. They do not need to pay any property tax and any insurance.

They do not need a car in their lives. They do not pay homeowners' association fees, the fire department fees, the police protections and so on and on. Of the fifty percent of the Chinese rural population, they do not use cash that much.

Three of my sisters in China have been laid off workers of state owned enterprises for the last thirty years. Their income is only a couple thousand yuan from the state pensions every. But they all have their own houses, and have savings over one million Chinese yuan.

They eat better than I do in the USA as a professor struggling to pay for my mortgage. I have to pay out of my pocket medical care, dental insurance, home insurance, property taxes, home owners association fees, all of which the Chinese do not have.

My sisters all grow their own vegetables in their own yard. I have to buy everything from the supermarkets.

There are too much loose holes in the calculation of GDP, which is simply meaningless.

When I was growing up during the Mao era, we grew everything we ate organically, and everything was fresh. We did not have much cash income, but we had everything we needed. By comparison, how many people in the world could have organically grown fresh produce everyday in the world free of all kinds pollutants.

The Chinese people's per capita income was very low during the Mao era, about a hundred dolar a year. But Chinese people life expectancy grew from 32 years in 1949 to 69 years in 1976, more than doubled in less than thirty years.

GDP as a measurement of well being is simply a trick created by the capitalist west to cover up their management failure, with a high GDP but many homeless and hungry people.

-Dongpin

After all this, it should be clear that China is really doing things and making things happen. There’s so much bullshit and lies about China, but I will tell you what, if you come to China, you WILL SEE the blues skies. You will see the HIGH TECHNOLOGY. You will see the flower and the trees, and the relaxed pace of life. And you will see that it’s because it is a nation government by merit and people who care.

China treats those who want to change things for “democracy”, and “rule by the wealthy”, and the greedy as evil and dangerous people. They are locked up and kept away from the levers of power.

China is doing things RIGHT.

A billion Chinese have applied for membership in the Communist Party of China since 2001. 907 million of them were rejected, mostly on moral grounds. It seems that most Chinese adults would take the Party oath, to endure the people’s ordeals first and enjoy their fruits last, subject themselves to constant scrutiny, and be held to higher ethical and legal standards than non-members. Adultery is cause for dismissal. Rape is cause for execution. Nonetheless, ninety-four million members are honoring their oath pretty well. 

-UNZ

China is a nation of Rufus’s…

We don’t want even one politically unqualified person sneaking into the Party, fishing for personal gain. 

-Xi Jinping.

And here’s a great image of a roadside rest area. Check it out.

A highway rest area. This one is in Inner Mongolia, Northern China. 41.5MB Video

Other possible reasons

There are a host of other possible contributors for the blue skies. May I suggest that other things can add to the overall effect experienced within China today…

A decline in domestic air flights because of the enormous network of high speed trains.
A decline in international air flights to and from China.
A severe curtailing of all factories that do not have, or plan to add, air scrubbing pollution control equipment.
A movement of the simple, labor intensive, and crude manufacturing out of China to South East Asia.
Intentional power rationing to selected geographical regions and specific targeted regions.

All in all, while China has indeed set forth impressive air pollution standards, and have implemented such, a number of other effects contributed synergistically to make the air of China noteworthy and pristine.

Oh, and a note to all the people who just stumble on MM and this article and want to shit on it…

Yes. And I do actually mean “to shit” on it.

Keep in mind that this information is going to go against your Western media brainwashing. It’s comfortable to believe the lies that face the TRUTH.

So don’t give me the normal bullshit, I delete those comments. If I wanted to read a regurgitation of FOX “news”, or the BBC, I’d read them directly myself. Though I do keep a few prize examples of stupidity for use in other articles.

Like these two comments (that I deleted from other articles that made China look better than the non-stop hate-China narrative spewing forth from the media megaphones)…

...the lies and propaganda concocted by CCP. For example, the title claims China has democracy at bottom, which is fabricated by CCP to fool people. In fact, CCP uses all of its power to crush any thing associated with democracy as it cruelly did in Hong Kong last year. CCP made it very clear that it will destroy any buds of democracy movement in China mercilessly as it did 32 year ago in Tiananmen massacre in which thousands of pro-democracy students and Beijing residents were killed by machine gun fires and crushed by army's main battle tanks.

And…

This is essentially a person staying up all night, and fantasizing about how China might be if all the consultative channels that China has erected were ACTUALLY HOW CHINA WAS GOVERNED. But they are not. Modest consultative measures might indeed help an authoritarian regime operate better, and that it probably part of China's success. But that doesn't mean, as the author seems to think, that a group of ordinary citizens makes the final decision about China's laws. It's laughable. Don't waste you time on this, and ask yourself why it is being heavily promoted.

I’m telling you what it is like.

You can absorb it in, or you can believe the nonsense being spewed at you by billions of dollars in manipulation and funding. Your choice.

But here, is the REAL deal. It’s what is going on right now. Soak it in.

And finally…

Be the Rufus

Are you making the place a little bit nicer when you leave it? Do you pick up after yourself? Do you make people smile when you are in public? Do free-ranging dogs and cats welcome you?

Are those around you comfortable that you are nearby in case anything goes wrong?

Do not be ashamed of who you are, or what you do. You are NOT your job. You are NOT what others say you are. You are unique and very, very special. Stand up for who you are and serve justice, and help those in your society. It’s your highest calling. video. 2MB

Please, be the Rufus. Not for personal profit. Not for fame, or glory. Just do it because you are a decent person and you want to make your tiny part of the world a better place to live in.

Video 2MB

And after the explosion, the Rufus runs back into the flames to rescue others trapped inside. Video. 2MB

The world is not a bad terrible place. Spread the love around. Be a Rufus. Just be nice, give things away for free just to make people feel happy, wanted and included. It won’t cost you that much, and you will really help make the world a much better place. Be the Rufus. Like this guy does… video 5MB

Or this. Use your talents and make the world a better place. Video. 6MB

Do you want more?

I have more posts like this in my China index here…

China

Preventing personal starvation

This article is not for everyone. If you are just doing fine and don't think you will ever face losing a source of income or intermittent food supply then you can ignore this article. 

But for 90% of the MM readership, you all should at least read it.

I generated this article after noting that a number of my friends back in the United States, as well as a number of MM participants were having trouble.

Serious, serious trouble.

While not life and death situations, they did involve discomfort. Because people, you have no idea what it is like when you haven’t eaten a decent meal in a few weeks. This is real starvation. And not a good situation to be in.

And so I just cannot post anything else until I get my thoughts “off my chest” and onto MM.

Introduction

One of the things that has happened to me, time and time again in the United States was massive layoffs without notice on or right before the holidays. Last total was around five on Christmas Eve. And because we were living paycheck to paycheck (with no savings), and no secondary sources of income we were often thrown into uncomfortable situations.

Like being out of food, or running out of food, and having to wait weeks (or sometimes months) for the local government agencies to provide us support and assistance.

And being a “white collar” professional, as soon as we obtained food stamps, monetary awards or help, the first thing that we would do is try to replicate our habits. When we would get money, we would go to a fast food restaurant or a local diner.

And when we would get food stamps we treated it as “play money” and bought the more expensive frozen food, and snacks that we normally wouldn’t buy.

These latent responses to a catastrophic situation were not good for us.

But you know, we learned and adapted. And here are some of my tricks to make sure that this kind of situation would never occur again.

Basics

Let’s get started.

[1] The woman is in charge of household finance and meals / food.

This is the first and most important aspect of this entire post. Listen up!

Call me an old fashioned man, or whatever you want. But the most important thing that you can do is put the “woman of the house” in charge of finance, and meals.

She will budget the meals, and the finances, and do a very good job at it.

And the ONLY reason why I did not implement this very simple change earlier in my life because I was far too egotistical, and taken in by the progressive “everyone is equal” beliefs.

Men and women are NOT equal. We each have certain strengths and weaknesses. And women are natural financiers, and managers.

Do not waste that resource.

The most important thing that you can do is put the “woman of the house” in charge of finance, and meals.

If you want to forever prevent this kind of situation from ever happening again, then learn how to delegate.

The woman (whether working in a career or not) should ALWAYS be in charge of the finances and the meals.

Period.

This is the first, biggest and most important change to your life that will really seriously prevent these kinds of emergencies from ever happening ever again.

Oh, and one more thing. Don’t ever disagree with her (his, if there are gender issues) on the allocations. Creating this kind of division of responsibility should be automatic, painless and should be the last thing to contribute to family strife.

[2] An emphasis on healthy food.

The second thing, also of equal importance is that the domestic management must be such that well budgeted meals, both tasty and healthy be emphasized. This will occur automatically (in my experience) but it does need to be spelled out specifically so all will agree to it.

I am advocating, good healthy simple food. With an occasional restaurant visit or special “date” or event to improve your quality of life.

You should be eating healthy delicious meals.

Expensive gourmet chain coffees are out. So is ice cream. This should be dedicated for special events. Not regular meals as dessert. No snacks. Zero Doritos, and potato chips, pretzels, and and fried pork skins.

Zero.

Am I clear on this?

The idea is that you can still have these things, but in moderation and only on special occasions. If you want to have snacks then opt for the far cheaper salted peanuts than a bag of Doritos.

Let’s look at the third element of “the basics”.

[3] Grocery budget must be heavy on staples, fruits, and vegetables.

Oh, you have heard that before.

Right?

But I am going to really underline this point. If you break down the costs for groceries you will find that staples such as rice, potatoes, flour, and eggs are very surprisingly cheap.

You can buy huge bags of the items for very little, and they alone can make very bland and tasteless meals for a long long time. Of which you can convert into very tasty meals with some salt, and some other seasonings.

For instance, in America we used to just eat rice with soy sauce. 

In China they think this is insane. 

Here's a try. Take some soy sauce, olive oil, cooking wine, and vinegar.  Mix it together, add salt and pepper. 

Then cut up tomatoes and onions. 

Mix together with the sauces and eat over the rice. 

Not a gourmet meal, but it tastes fresh, and will not be all that terrible.ANd it will fill you up. Total cost is probably under 10 cents.

Staples of rice, bread, potatoes, and other vegetables can diversify the meals, fill you up, and really do not cost much money.

Vegetables are also very cheap. But you will need to be able to buy them twice a week as they perish easily. Fruit tends to be expensive. I argue that everyone should have some fruit in the house (it helps you shit and aids in digestion) but you don’t need to buy the most expensive fruit. Get whatever is on sale, and cheap. In the Summer like now, peaches are cheap. So is watermelon.

Less than 5% of the weekly grocery budget should go to condiments, and frozen food.

…

Didn’t quite “get it” did you? Let me repeat.

Less than 5% of the weekly grocery budget should go to condiments, and frozen food.

Yah. If you are not following this rule you are setting yourself up for trouble. You as a man, or as a woman have a responsibility to your family and your beloved pets. You need to proved for them. You NEED to manage your grocery shopping.

So let me repeat.

Less than 5% of the weekly grocery budget should go to condiments, and frozen food. The rest goes to staples, vegetables, and fruit (On sale).

[4] Start building a larder

You do not need to be a Prepper or a Mormon to start having a “Larder”. A larder is a long term storage of foodstuff and elements that enable that your family will have food during the ups and downs of economic uncertainty. If you start small, but religiously contribute to it, after six months you should have a very sizable larder that you can use to make good, tasty and delicious meals.

A basement larder full of home canned vegetables and fruits.

A larder should be in the coolest part of your house. Preferably a cellar, basement or garage. It should store staples and cans. You should make sure that you have mouse traps nearby as they tend to attract rodents. If you are doing better, you can add a deep freezer; just make sure that it is new and reliable. Do not skimp and get a used one. All it takes is one breakdown that will ruin your entire stock of frozen supplies.

[5] Know your local resources for food.

You don’t need to go to chain supermarkets for food. You can go to old food warehouses, enormous structures that contain out of date cans and boxes.They sell out of date products. Almost all the canned goods are fine. Boxed goods are hit and miss. Be careful. So what if the cans are dinged. Just makes sure they are not broken.

You can also go to bakery outlets, and look at their end of day specials. You can go to local farmers’ markets and scoot into grocery stores at the end of the day for the best prices.

Better yet talk to the owners and managers. Know them on a personal basis. You might be surprised. I know that Panera Bread gives its end of the day bread out to local organizations and people that need it instead of throwing them away. Just communicate. Build relationships. Contribute to your community. Be local.

If you are uncomfortable going to the wharf, and the fishing vessels yourself, you can access some establishments that do all the leg work for you. Like this one in Panama City, Florida.

The same thing goes for local small farmers and such. You would be amazed at the prices you can get at a local egg farm, or the milk at a diary at the farm. You just need to get up, find out where they are and visit them. Talk to the people. Know them personally. Become a customer, and when times get hard, you might be surprised the help you will get back in return.

[6] Know your emergency services

We are surrounded with Rufus’s. We just are so busy dealing with our day to day lives that we do not realize that there are all sorts of emergency services all around us. Many are in “the Yellow Pages” or whatever constitutes for them on the internet. All are run by Rufus’s. These vary from all sorts of services and can include…

County social services
Private social services
Religious (Catholic, etc.) social services
Food banks
Volunteer organizations
Salvation Army
Animal Shelters

[7] Contribute your skill sets to others

I once had a long time high school friend who suddenly started having really strange cramps and pains. But he was poor, living on the edge of poverty and couldn’t afford a doctor’s visit, and since he worked (and owned a house) he could not qualify for free medical care.

So he asked me what to do, and I reminded him that he used to be the groundskeeper for a local doctor a few towns away.

I told him that what did he have to lose, but to go up and ask him for help.

And you know what? He did exactly that.

Surprised me. No Shit!

Most people never listen to MM. They just want sympathy. Not real help and advice.

But sure as shit he called him up and visited him at his house. The doctor was so happy to see him, and was more than willing to look at him. He did it for free, and then wrote some prescriptions for him. Called them into the pharmacy and paid for them himself.

You never know.

It never, ever hurts to ask.

You might be surprised at the response.

We need to be part of a community and help each other.

Be part of the community. Smile. Be kind and helpful. Contribute what you can. And when you need help, the community will give it back to you.

Valuable skills that you can contribute to society (just connect with any local social service and tell them that you want to offer free support to those in need) include

Medical profession
Machining, metal fabrication
Mechanic work / shop repair
Handyman
Electrician
Plumbing
Translations Services
Teaching

And even more! And if the first social service isn’t interested, just go down the line until you too are hooked into a local community participating and helping those in need nearby.

[8] Local options

I knew a man who gave free gasoline to various social service organizations and vouchers to those in need. I also knew individuals who did this out of their own wallets. I also know that there are large networks of Rufus’s that lie hidden all around you.

What you need to do is start getting out and talking to the people. Go to the fishermen and where they unload their daily catches. You will probably end up with a garbage bag full of fish. Take it home. Freeze most. Cut off the heads and give to your cats. They will forever love you for that.

Offer them a few bucks (dollars) for some fresh fish Put them in a plastic bag and carry them home. Or whatever is local to your area.

My ex-wife would get her car fixed for free by a local “grease monkey” mechanic who had a garage in his backyard. All she would need to do was pay for the parts, and buy him some marijuana from time to time as she could. People work out deals in a community.

In Pennsylvania there were orchard farms full of trees with apples, pears, plums, and nuts. Walnuts, chestnuts, and others. There’s blueberry farms, strawberry farms. Pecan orchards, and many more. There’s catfish farms in the deep south, and shrimp harvesting in the gulf. Shellfish collectors all over the coast, and everything in between.

We need to start thinking like our grandparents instead of adapting our new reality to that of what we have grown accustomed to having.

[9] Soup Kitchens

I have eaten at numerous soup kitchens. The very first one that I went to was located in New Iberia Louisiana, and I was surprised by the great diversity of people there.

Sure there were some “riff raff”, but there were single mothers with children, a group of marines that lost their money in a game of poker and got stranded, some folk laid off and in between jobs, and others dealing with all sorts of issues.

The soup kitchens in most Salvation Army’s hold two meals a day. Lunch and Dinner. Be on time, as they close the doors and don’t let others in after a set period of time.

There is a soup kitchen in just about every American city, and the larger the city the more numbers the kitchens. You must be aware of the operating times. Some only operate between 11:00am and 2:00pm, while others operate at 5:00pm to 6:00pm. You come early and if you are in a distressed neighborhood be safe, careful and come early.

The meals are good, solid fare.

Not just a big tureen of soup as depicted in the movies. But rather a full meal with a main dish, vegetables on the side, bread, a soup, a dessert, and a drink. It’s often cooked by volunteers, who come out and devote their time and energy to make good tasty meals for those in need.

Rufus’s all.

Old and young.

If you are in a situation, maybe between jobs. On unemployment. On food stamps, or just worried about the job situation, you need to seek the local soup kitchen out, and start supplementing your meals.

Once a week at least.

That one meal will expand your home food bank by 1/7 automatically. And it will connect you to others.

Then, maybe… maybe ask if you can volunteer.

You will get a free meal out of it in exchange for work and you will be helping others. It’s a win – win!

[10] Stop eating out American style

Telling that to an American will result in blank stares. But it is true. Same with Starbucks coffee, donuts, and all the rest. We all know about how unhealthy these foods in restaurants actually are, but it’s more than that. They are expensive. And they tear up your body.

I’m in my mid to late 60’s. Do I look my age?

It’s because I haven’t eaten American style fast food in over 15 years. Sure, I have an occasional coffee or a “Subway” or a real hamburger at Burger King, but that is about it. They are rare events.

I eat real food, either in a restaurant or prepared at home.

And I can see the difference in my photographs.

My food is free of GMO’s, hyper-processed ingredients, is almost always fresh and certainly rarely deep fried or heavily salted.

When you are under heavy stress, what you eat makes a big difference in your ability to handle that stress. Eat fresh food, made by a talented loving spouse using real fresh ingredients.

Eat out, but when you do limit it to once a week, and be selective in where you go. Make it memorable.

That means tasty and full of meaningful communication.

[11] Cut out all soda

Growing up in the 1960’s and 1970’s we have become accustomed to eating everything with a soda or a coffee. A coffee is ok, but a soda is not.

I could go into all the reasons why carbonated surgery drinks (regardless of the price) is not good for you, but if you want to break this cycle, then you must break those bad dangerous habits. And soda is one of them.

Compare the prices. A bottle of wine is cheaper than a six pack of soda. Start drinking basic cheap wine with your meals.

Start adding red wine to your meals. Cut down on the beer. I am not saying that you need to get sloshed, but at least one or two glasses with every meal will really spice up the meal, make the time desirable for talking instead of playing on the computer and watching television and help your heart. Sure, a bottle costs the same as a McDonald’s number one meal. But it’s an investment that will pay off.

Oh, and make sure that it is real wine. It need not be expensive, but must be real.

[12] A garden (Long term planning)

Sure you can have a garden. Most American homes have yards. But even if you are in an urban environment, a porch with some tomato plants can make a big difference in your access to fresh vegetables.

I write this in July. Everyone should have a garden producing a steady supply of salads for the dinner table all Summer.

[13] Fruit and nut bearing trees (Really Long term planning)

If you have a yard, you can also have fruit and nut bearing trees. They produce every years, and sure it can be a pain in the ass to harvest, but one tree will give you bales and bales of apples, or sacks and sacks of nuts. Just because your job is secure now does not mean that it will always be secure. And then what are you going to do with all those apples, oranges, bananas, or walnuts? Humm…

A single tree can produce sacks and sacks of walnuts.

[14] Home canning and harvesting (Long term planning)

If you have a garden you can also can your excess. You can make preserves. You can make apple butter. You can make hot vegetable mix. You can make pickles. You can make homemade salsa. You can make and can re-fried beans. You can make all sorts of things, and once you get started you will never be hungry ever again.

Homemade hot mix. Pickled vegetables with hot peppers.

Conclusion

I know many of you will be “rolling your eyes” at my crazy old fashioned ideas and suggestions regarding food and local social services. But please listen to me. I do know what I am talking about.

I just want to put it forth, and posit that in order for us to adapt and survive, we need to be a Rufus. We need to know all the Rufus organizations around us and we need to contribute to the community in whatever means we have. If you are in this situation now, please take heed of my advice, and try to implement some of these suggestions. Not all of them are perfect and ideal for your situation, but you can be rest assured that they will serve to help you during times of need.

Listen to me, not eating for a few weeks really sucks. And if you are in the United States there is absolutely no reason for this to occur.

Stop letting your fears or ideas of what might wait behind that heavy bolted door stop you from stepping inside. Do not let any Hollywood notions of what a Soup Kitchen is stop you from grabbing a healthy meal, and stop listening to the non-stop 24-7 consumer nonsense blasted at you and your family.

Eggs are cheap. Really cheap. Potatoes and onions are cheap. Do you want a good filling meal for under $1 USD?

Try cooking sliced potatoes and onions together with salt and pepper, and then add two eggs, and two (cheapest brand) chicken hotdogs from the freezer. You will be full, you will be fine, and your stomach won’t be growling.

For comparison, one Burger King Meal will equal about eight of these healthier and easy to make meals.

Then start giving back to your community.

After a good six months on this program you will find your health is better, your weight is lower, your stress is down, and you will be part of a community which will greatly improve your life. If you are not good at interacting with people, turn to our spouse…

…you are never alone.

And their (her) abilities in networking and making friends will astound you. My experience has proven this point time and time again.

And remember, everything is temporary.

The bad will end.

But now, if you are in this particular situation, know that this is just the start of some really good things.

It’s a crazy life that we live. Just ride with it. Seek the Rufus’s they are everywhere.

Do you want more?

I have more posts in my Food Index here…

Food

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Some gotta win, and some gotta lose

Well, It has been a year, but I finally got my house back from the clutches of some evil fiends that used it, stole it, abused it, and seemingly got away with their crimes. But do not be so sure that what appears on the surface is what actually going on.

Here we are going to use this example to discuss some pretty complex issues. And it know that it is going to upset a few people in the process.

Background

About the background of this particular issue. Let it be well understood that I have discussed this elsewhere on MM, but will recap a summary here.

When the Coronavirus hit China during CNY (Chinese New Year) in 2020, China went DEFCON ONE and locked the entire nation down. It was solid, and all life, business and everything stopped. Cities that had thousands, if not millions of workers emptied out. The workers went home. And they closed their rental agreements in the homes that they were renting out in the cities.

People like MM, here, who own multiple properties suddenly found all of our tenants leaving. Our apartments going empty, and our secondary sources of income dropping to zero.

Well, suddenly we are approached by a large “reputable” company that rents out houses like ours. They are nationwide, enormous in size, and offered to rend our house out within one month at a premium price. Honestly, at the time, we didn’t believe it. It sounded too good to be true. But we figured, what did we have to lose?

And sure enough, two weeks later, we got a tenant who will pay full rent of 7000/month, locked into a one year contract, and would move in as soon as we repainted the interior, bought new furniture, bought a new television, refrigerator and washing machine.

So we signed the contract, and bought the furniture. And they moved in.

But there was something strange. Instead of the 7000/month payment, they only paid 3000. Why was this?

Seems pretty strange huh?

Yes. It did seem strange.

And then one week later the offices didn’t answer our phones calls. The sales representatives all over the nation went silent. And we discovered that the owner and the executives stole billions of RMB, or hundreds of millions of US dollars and went into hiding.

That left us homeowners with unpaid house rent. Renters who are now “deadbeats” living in our homes, and locked into a year contract (or longer. Some up to 3 years.)

Outcome of all this

Well, long story short.

We followed up with legal action that resulted in nothing. The courts ruled in favor of the tenants, and told us to take a lawsuit against the company, which no longer exists, and who’s owners have new identities and living out of the country in luxurious mansions with bodyguards.

We lost, all told perhaps 200,000 which was lost income from rent, and the attorney and filing costs. This is a lot of money from MM, and the entire year of 2020, MM personal lifestyle (personally and family) was severely contracted.

The guy who ran off was killed. Rather quickly. Suddenly and with zero emotion. The assassins even went out and ate noodles afterwards.

And after a terms of the contact, we went people over to open the door to our house and tidy it up so that we can get new tenants…

And this is what we found.

Click on the picture to view the video.

You can download and watch the video HERE, or get a zipped file HERE.

What was the sum total of damage?

These jackasses skipped town, leaving me with sewer, water, electricity,maintenance, security, and management fees that had accrued.

They stole the new television, the new washing machine, and the new coffee table. The new furniture, as you can see are completely destroyed.

The ruins that they left behind and all the junk needs to be hauled off, the damage repaired, and the apartment repainted, and new replacement furniture obtained.

Perhaps 50,000.

Total cost of this fiasco all told?

250,000 RMB

We would have been far better off just locking up the house and not renting it out.

What are my options?

From here what shall I do?

[1] Move on, and forget.

This is what I want to do.

Bad people, base their activity on sensible people moving forward with their lives. They take advantage of this and use it for their own personal gain. 

Sensible people don't want to have anything to do with these bad people. As the more you get involved with them, like a "tar baby", the more shit sticks to you. 

So sensible people just move on with their lives. And bad people keep on being bad.

Not a good thing. But sometimes' it's best to turn a bad thing into an expensive lesson.

[2] Forgive, then forget.

Ah. This is the Christian thing to do.

This is the Christian thing to do, right?

This is also the thing that evil psychopathic personalities, corrupt bureaucracies, and the habitually evil want. they want you to keep on being the victim. They want to hurt others, gain personally, and then be immune from any kinds of retribution, payback, karma or consequences.

Forgiveness appears to be the "right" thing to do. 

However, evil people rely on it to continue their malevolent actions, and those that forgive get entangled (in a quantum sense) so that more bad actions are attracted to them personally.

Not a good thing.

The Christian thing is to forgive the bad people, and then pretend that it never happened.

[3] Pay the money to hunt them down and hurt them.

This is a real option available to me.

I can have the entire family killed for 33,000 RMB. But is it worth it?

Or, alternatively, I can go after them myself. It might seem that I might save some money, but it will actually cost more in the long run, distract from my life, and really be a pain in the ass to do.

Not a good thing.

But you know, it's just money. It's only things. It could have been a lot worse. And by being on this world-line path that has this kind of event instead of nuclear war, I'd take this world-line over it any day.

So keep in mind that this is the real world. Not Hollywood. You don't just off some bad evil people because they busted up your house. It's not worth my time, my money, my thoughts, and my efforts.

Phooey! On this option.

[4] Use my MM abilities to send them to the cornfield

This is a pain in the ass to do, but it will achieve my goals.

I suppose that all consciousnesses are neutral and good. But many have actions that don't really seem to indicate this. 

Would any "teaching" efforts on my part prevent them from hurting others? 

Would it help them learn from personal consequences? 

Is it my role, even though they entered my life, is it MY ROLE to teach them anything?

By doing and taking the action to actually "send them to the cornfield", it will entangle me further with their vile nature... unless I take specific actions to prevent that kind of entanglement.

Sometimes you have to do things that you do not want to do.

And what I am actually going to do…

I just want [1] the bad people to stay away from us, but also [2] do not want them to hurt others. So which of the four actions listed above will accomplish this goal?

What do you think?

…

Yup.

They are going to the cornfield.

I hope that the butt spanking will be sufficient to prevent their evil, vile and destructive behaviors from affecting anyone else. And maybe, just maybe they will start to contribute to society instead of being a big drain on it.

It is done.

Sometimes you must do what you do not want to do.

And I am sorry for busting up your illusions on MM being a good, kind gentle soul. Sometimes you have to put a rabid dog down. And someone has to pick up the gun and do it. As distasteful as it is.

And I guess it's me simply because there is no one else willing and available to handle this distasteful matter.

I am just the last one in a long, line of others that either [1] looked the other way, or [2] forgave and forgot. 

And because no one else had the strength to put the crazed rabid dog down, it arrived on my door-step.

And now, it's up to me. The ball has dropped. And I am the one picking it up.

Do you want more?

I have more posts in my Happiness Index here…

Life & Happiness

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Please kindly help me out in this effort. There is a lot of effort that goes into this disclosure. I could use all the financial support that anyone could provide. Thank you very much.

A great rant from a Chinese expat in America who says “I want to talk about China”.

This is a wonderful rant by a girl currently in the United States. She is absolutely “fed up” with the anti-China news, attitude, and general opinions of American regarding China. And she want’s it all to end. She is shouting loud and clear “Shut Up!”

The Chinese people are getting fed up with the lies that come out of the American, and Western “news”. They are tired of it. They are starting to get angry about it. And it must stop.

I've got a bunch of small and short embedded videos in this article. You really need to watch them to get the full impact of this article. -MM

Again, here is a dialog rant by a Chinese-America who lives inside of America, but well knows the reality of her home nation; China. And so, being sick and tired of the endless lies, and bullshit from the American “news”, she lashes out…

I Want To Talk About China

China is nothing like the fake version that exists only in imagination, that is painted in the media and absorbed into the minds of the people who gape at me when I tell them, "You know, life in China wasn't really all that different."

By Lily Chang

“Where are you from?”

“China,” my mom says, with audible pride.

“Oh,” said the lady at the thrift store, her eyebrows disappearing into her thick brown hair. “Was it scary over there? Were you not allowed to say things or use the internet?”

…

“China is a repressive dictatorship where the government exercises total control over people’s lives. The citizens have very few human rights compared to in the US.”

“That’s not true,” my sister blurts out. “I lived there and it wasn’t like that at all.”

“Don’t talk out of turn,” said her fourth grade teacher.

…

“You know, life in China wasn’t really all that different,” I say.

I watch the shock in my friends’ eyes. Feeling awkward, I continue on.

“I went to school in the morning and came home at night. I had a lot of homework. On the weekend, I would go out with my friends, and we would go to the park, or go window shopping, and gossip about our teachers and classmates.”

They gape at me, and I change the subject.

…

I want to talk about China.

I want to talk about my country and the many years I lived there, the laughter and the tears and everything in between. I want to share the experiences that shaped me and the people that changed me and the places where it happened.

But I can’t.

I cannot because the China in their eyes, in their minds, is not the China I come from, where I lived for most of my life.

It’s a sick, distorted version.

It is like what you see through a funhouse mirror, except there’s no fun in this house, only propaganda and racism and lies.

From those materials they built this diabolical interpretation of China that exists only in fantasy, and put me in it like a doll in a dollhouse.

And thus I was expected to play my part…

…as (some kind of) liberated victim of horrific oppression, grateful for my salvation, for my new life in the “enlightened” west.

I refused.

I’m going off script.

…

We, the Chinese people, are spoken of like birds in locked cages…

(Being) afraid to sing, the keys held by a brutal totalitarian government that cares nothing for our welfare.

We are huddled together, suffering, waiting for civilized countries to swoop in and rescue us…

To rescue us from our awful plights, to unlock our cages and heal our wounds and set us free.

We are dehumanized, reduced to objects of pity and victims in need of deliverance.

And thus they cry, “I love the Chinese people! I only hate the Chinese government!”

…

But they cannot love us, because to them, we are NOT human.

We are things.

The citizens are not humans, but caged birds desperate for a fairy tale hero to save them.

The government and those who compose it, are not humans, but blood-sucking demons.

Yes. demons. Demons who are bent on surveilling, controlling, destroying the citizens for their own gain.

But all this is just a fantasy; a lie. It’s a make-believe world that doesn’t exist, and one that never existed.

The people of China are not caged birds, and the government of China is not a group of cartoonishly evil demons.

…

But, this is the China they built in their minds, that they project onto me when I stand in front of them with my yellow skin, black hair, brown eyes.

And I want to tell them, that’s not the real China.

The real China is neither a paradise, but nor is it a hell.

The people of China are not helpless caged birds, but human beings.

Human beings with hopes and dreams and interests and opinions and stories. And yes, human rights.

We can travel, and many do.

More than 100 million Chinese go abroad every year, for school, work, tourism, and other reasons.

We can practice religion.

Religion is not allowed to influence politics.

And it is especially not allowed to promote separatism, terrorism, or other types of extremist thought.

We can criticize the government.

We can even hold protests. 

But we cannot humiliate or slander our leaders, we cannot spread lies, and again, we cannot promote separatism or incite mass unrest. 

Maybe that seems like a lot of conditions. 

But swearing at our leaders isn't productive engagement. It doesn't lead to problems being fixed.

We can vote.

There are elections in China, but not for the president. 

The people directly elect district representatives to the People's Congress, who then elect representatives at the city and province level. 

These representatives, just like Congresspeople in the US, are responsible for expressing their constituents' suggestions and grievances. 

They provide oversight for politicians. And if they don't do their job, they can be fired via petition from the people.

All citizens of China are entitled to these rights. All fifty-six ethnicities.

The people of China are not caged birds, and the government of China is not a group of cartoonishly evil demons.

In fact, China enjoys high levels of support among the people – not because there are no other options, as often claimed, and not because we are brainwashed. To say so takes away our agency, puts us back in the cage. We are supportive because the government serves the people.

Because…

…they lifted 850 million people out of absolute poverty in 40 years (100 million just since 2013),

…built them free homes,

…provided them with jobs and healthcare and education.

(The government) invested into infrastructure to ensure people in the most distant areas can live a better and more convenient life.

(And they) traversed deep into dangerous mountains to find those in need of help.

Chinese people respect their government…

…because they made enormous financial sacrifices made to combat the COVID-19 pandemic…

… from the initial lock-down of Wuhan…

… to implementing the massive contact tracing infrastructure, to free treatment for all patients.

They built hospitals in ten days, then mobilized of doctors and medical equipment from all over the country to the center of the epidemic.

It’s been stunning.

Increased life expectancy.

Increased quality of life.

Unparalleled safety.

Absolute happiness.

That is what the Chinese government does for the people.

That is not to say things are perfect.

Corruption exists.

Incompetence exists.

Dissatisfaction with the government exists. And the people express it. They make their voices heard.

The government is constantly monitoring public opinion on social media. Vocal criticism, of which there is much, is noted and taken into account.

Government agencies have open comment boards online where people can leave complaints.

Responses are then published online.

- - Unpopular policies get changed.
  - Unpopular politicians get replaced.

Whether you believe this is because they want the best for the people, or because they’re afraid of being violently overthrown by angry mobs, the result is the same.

They want to know what’s working and what’s not working. The needs and desires of the population are heard.

In the end, the Chinese people and the Chinese government are one, and cannot be separated.

Together, they are not oppressors and the oppressed, or even the rulers and the ruled, but two sides of the same coin, working together for a better China and better lives for all her citizens.

China is like a “bee hive”…

And America and the rest of the West, govern like “herding kittens”. The only solution is to divide up everyone so that everyone is fighting and the wealthy get wealthier…

China is not a paradise.

There are problems and unhappy people and bad decisions and things that fall through the cracks.

But it’s nothing like “that” China; The fake version of China that exists only in imagination, that is painted in the media and absorbed into the minds of the people who gape at me when I tell them…

… “You know, life in China wasn’t really all that different.”

And no one believes.

Because everyone is living within this fake world image that does not exist.

I want to talk to them about China, but I can’t.

Not until they tear down that twisted caricature in their minds; that fake world that they have been taught to believe.

Not until they see China for how she really is, good and bad.

I don’t wish for everyone to love China, or worship China. I want them to know China, understand China. The real China.

And when they do, then we can work together, learn from each other. Become better. That is what I hope to see.

…

Conclusion

It’s a great impassioned rant. And the thing is, that it could be written by just about any of the 120 million Chinese people who visit the the United States and return back to China. To put this number in perspective…

Population figures;

Some perspectives on WHY this is going on…

…it’s to create an evil villain. One that the people can point their fingers at and say [1] It’s another Nazi Germany!, and [2] We must do something to free the poor people! It tends to unite people against a common cause so they don’t get their torches, and pitchforks on the way to lynch the assholes in Washington DC.

It’s called “atrocity propaganda”…

Atrocity propaganda

Atrocity propaganda is the spreading of information about the crimes committed by an enemy, which can be factual, but often includes or features deliberate fabrications or exaggerations. This can involve photographs, videos, illustrations, interviews, and other forms of information presentation or reporting.

-Wikipedia

And… it continues…

And…

Why this demonization is going on; it’s because the USA must be the biggest, largest and most powerful nation in the world. If it isn’t, then all of it’s faults, it’s history of evil deeds, and the massive flaws within it’s system, and the economic crimes will come to light… to an angry world that is just now waking up to the reality of what the Hell the United States has been doing for much of the last century….

Indeed, for certain…

A time has come…

But that is not what is happening,

What is happening.

The United States is a terribly corrupt and flailing military empire and it is sinking, going down the drain in so many ways that everyone can watch and understand what is going on. The only people that do not understand this fact are those who are so absolutely blinded by the American propaganda of “exceptional greatness”, and intentional censorship of the reality outside of America.

We call them “sheeple”.

They are people that are emotionally entangled about things that they have NEVER physical experienced first hand. Only by what they read or watched on the internet.

Comedians joke about it, but it is a real problem.

And here…

The Bottom Line

As the United States collapses there are a host of options available to prevent the collapse.

America could…

Convene an emergency Constitutional Convention. And though it, seriously reorganize the government to be more efficient and more focused on serving the needs of the people.
Redirect spending. Control the terrible fiscal irresponsibility. And set up policing organizations for fraud and waste.
Work on Win-win solutions. Work with other nations to improve positive international relations on the basis of a win-win philosophy.
Shut down the Military Empire. Seriously reduce the global military empire and redirect it’s task to domestic needs.

But that is not what it is doing. Instead it is picking fights with both Russia and China. In both cases trying to provoke an “incident” so that America has an excuse to unify America against a common enemy. It doesn’t matter who, at this point in time, and stage in the game. It just needs some kind of big, fierce enemy.

Note what is actually happening…

The Military Empire is expanding.
Provocative actions are proceeding and it’s only a matter of time when one will trigger a serious war.
The debt is getting larger, not smaller.
And an enormous budget (by Biden) to correct infrastructure problems has been proposed with zero changes to the already corrupted and inefficient system that is supposed to support it.
America is trying to provoke military engagements.

This cannot end well.

Metalicman’s Interview

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I have more posts in my China Index here…

China

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A report on the COVID-19 Bioweapon from a secondary source.

If you buy into the government “proof” that the coronavirus is natural and that it was just extraordinary bad-luck for it to strike China on the eve of their busiest holiday, then this post is not for you. This post is a link to a comprehensive report that confirms that the United States unleashed a bioweapons attack on China.

Ah. You can believe whatever you want. It’s “no skin off my back”. You can just go ahead and believe whatever makes you live through the day.

Background

I often receive contributions from others in the form of information, links, and other data that are not usually available on the internet. When someone proposes an idea, a concept, or some information, I tend to listen to them. I might not agree with them, but if they have done their research properly and have something of value to contribute, I will provide access to their information on this site.

Thus this post.

Cautions

I do not agree with everything in the article, but the amount of research and the information conveyed is significant. It is worthwhile reading and I suggest you, the reader, give it every consideration.

Content

The following is a link to a PDF file. The author devoted a significant amount of time and effort to the study of the COVID-19 bioweapons attack, and compiled the information within a PDF for ease of reading. I suggest that if the reader has any doubts that this is a natural virus, that they read this detailed summary.

You can access it here, just click on the picture below…

A link to the a comprehensive analysis of the COVID-19 crisis.

Do you want some more?

Here’s a link to my Trump Trade War posts…

Trump Trade War

Do you want to see similar posts?

I hope that you found this post curious. Please take care. You can view other similar posts in my SHTF Index, here…

SHTF Articles

Articles & Links

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Please kindly help me out in this effort. There is a lot of effort that goes into this disclosure. I could use all the financial support that anyone could provide. Thank you.

Americans today are living within a failed state.

This is a pretty good article written by George Packer that was printed in the Atlantic and has pretty much been circulating everywhere. My friends from both sides of the political spectrum are discussing it, and urging me to read it. So I have, and I found his points… oh so delicious. Here is his article and I think that you all would see that he makes some good points no matter what side of the political spectrum you are on.

The COVID-19 event, regardless of what caused it, has exposed America for what it is. And the picture is decidedly not pretty.

You might not agree with everything that he has to say. You might not like the dish of food that he serves to you, but you must admit that the COVID-19 has exposed America to be fully and completely incapable of governing during a serious emergency. And while the idea for “Make America Great Again” is laudable, it is unfortunately beyond the reach of everyone inside the monstrous American government.

It’s a good read. All credit to the author.

We Are Living in a Failed State

George Packer

When the (COVID-19) virus came here, it found a country with serious underlying conditions, and it exploited them ruthlessly. Chronic ills—a corrupt political class, a sclerotic bureaucracy, a heartless economy, a divided and distracted public—had gone untreated for years. We had learned to live, uncomfortably, with the symptoms.

It took the scale and intimacy of a pandemic to expose their severity—to shock Americans with the recognition that we are in the high-risk category.

America responds to the COVID-19

The crisis demanded a response that was swift, rational, and collective.

The United States reacted instead like Pakistan or Belarus—like a country with shoddy infrastructure and a dysfunctional government whose leaders were too corrupt or stupid to head off mass suffering.

The administration squandered two irretrievable months to prepare.

From the president came willful blindness, scapegoating, boasts, and lies. From his mouthpieces, conspiracy theories and miracle cures. A few senators and corporate executives acted quickly—not to prevent the coming disaster, but to profit from it.

When a government doctor tried to warn the public of the danger, the White House took the mic and politicized the message.

American Citizens caught in the middle.

Every morning in the endless month of March, Americans woke up to find themselves citizens of a failed state. With no national plan—no coherent instructions at all—families, schools, and offices were left to decide on their own whether to shut down and take shelter.

When test kits, masks, gowns, and ventilators were found to be in desperately short supply, governors pleaded for them from the White House, which stalled, then called on private enterprise, which couldn’t deliver.

States and cities were forced into bidding wars that left them prey to price gouging and corporate profiteering.

Civilians took out their sewing machines to try to keep ill-equipped hospital workers healthy and their patients alive. Russia, Taiwan, and the United Nations sent humanitarian aid to the world’s richest power—a beggar nation in utter chaos.

Presidential Leadership

Donald Trump saw the crisis almost entirely in personal and political terms.

Fearing for his reelection, he declared the coronavirus pandemic a war, and himself a wartime president.

But the leader he brings to mind is Marshal Philippe Pétain, the French general who, in 1940, signed an armistice with Germany after its rout of French defenses, then formed the pro-Nazi Vichy regime. Like Pétain, Trump collaborated with the invader and abandoned his country to a prolonged disaster.

And, like France in 1940, America in 2020 has stunned itself with a collapse that’s larger and deeper than one miserable leader.

Some future autopsy of the pandemic might be called Strange Defeat, after the historian and Resistance fighter Marc Bloch’s contemporaneous study of the fall of France.

Despite countless examples around the U.S. of individual courage and sacrifice, the failure is national. And it should force a question that most Americans have never had to ask: Do we trust our leaders and one another enough to summon a collective response to a mortal threat?

Are we still capable of self-government?

A major crisis

This is the third major crisis of the short 21st century.

The first, on September 11, 2001, came when Americans were still living mentally in the previous century, and the memory of depression, world war, and cold war remained strong. On that day, people in the rural heartland did not see New York as an alien stew of immigrants and liberals that deserved its fate, but as a great American city that had taken a hit for the whole country. Firefighters from Indiana drove 800 miles to help the rescue effort at Ground Zero. Our civic reflex was to mourn and mobilize together.

Partisan politics and terrible policies, especially the Iraq War, erased the sense of national unity and fed a bitterness toward the political class that never really faded.

The second crisis, in 2008, intensified it.

At the top, the financial crash could almost be considered a success. Congress passed a bipartisan bailout bill that saved the financial system. Outgoing Bush-administration officials cooperated with incoming Obama administration officials. The experts at the Federal Reserve and the Treasury Department used monetary and fiscal policy to prevent a second Great Depression.

Leading bankers were shamed but not prosecuted; most of them kept their fortunes and some their jobs. Before long they were back in business. A Wall Street trader told me that the financial crisis had been a “speed bump.”

Ah, but the American middle class…

All of the lasting pain was felt in the middle and at the bottom, by Americans who had taken on debt and lost their jobs, homes, and retirement savings.

Many of them never recovered, and young people who came of age in the Great Recession are doomed to be poorer than their parents.

Inequality—the fundamental, relentless force in American life since the late 1970s—grew worse.

This second crisis drove a profound wedge between Americans: between the upper and lower classes, Republicans and Democrats, metropolitan and rural people, the native-born and immigrants, ordinary Americans and their leaders.

Social bonds had been under growing strain for several decades, and now they began to tear.

The reforms of the Obama years, important as they were—in health care, financial regulation, green energy—had only palliative effects.

The long recovery over the past decade enriched corporations and investors, lulled professionals, and left the working class further behind. The lasting effect of the slump was to increase polarization and to discredit authority, especially government’s.

No one noticed.

Both parties were slow to grasp how much credibility they’d lost.

The coming politics was populist. Its harbinger wasn’t Barack Obama but Sarah Palin, the absurdly unready vice-presidential candidate who scorned expertise and reveled in celebrity. She was Donald Trump’s John the Baptist.

Trump came to power as the repudiation of the Republican establishment.

But the conservative political class and the new leader soon reached an understanding. Whatever their differences on issues like trade and immigration, they shared a basic goal: to strip-mine public assets for the benefit of private interests.

Republican politicians and donors who wanted government to do as little as possible for the common good could live happily with a regime that barely knew how to govern at all, and they made themselves Trump’s footmen.

Like a wanton boy throwing matches in a parched field, Trump began to immolate what was left of national civic life.

He never even pretended to be president of the whole country, but pitted us against one another along lines of race, sex, religion, citizenship, education, region, and—every day of his presidency—political party.

His main tool of governance was to lie.

A third of the country locked itself in a hall of mirrors that it believed to be reality; a third drove itself mad with the effort to hold on to the idea of knowable truth; and a third gave up even trying.

The American government

Trump acquired a federal government crippled by years of right-wing ideological assault, politicization by both parties, and steady defunding.

He set about finishing off the job and destroying the professional civil service.

He drove out some of the most talented and experienced career officials, left essential positions unfilled, and installed loyalists as commissars over the cowed survivors, with one purpose: to serve his own interests.

His major legislative accomplishment, one of the largest tax cuts in history, sent hundreds of billions of dollars to corporations and the rich. The beneficiaries flocked to patronize his resorts and line his reelection pockets. If lying was his means for using power, corruption was his end.

This was the American landscape that lay open to the virus: in prosperous cities, a class of globally connected desk workers dependent on a class of precarious and invisible service workers; in the countryside, decaying communities in revolt against the modern world; on social media, mutual hatred and endless vituperation among different camps; in the economy, even with full employment, a large and growing gap between triumphant capital and beleaguered labor; in Washington, an empty government led by a con man and his intellectually bankrupt party; around the country, a mood of cynical exhaustion, with no vision of a shared identity or future.

COVID-19 exposed America for what it is.

If the pandemic really is a kind of war, it’s the first to be fought on this soil in a century and a half.

Invasion and occupation expose a society’s fault lines, exaggerating what goes unnoticed or accepted in peacetime, clarifying essential truths, raising the smell of buried rot.

The virus should have united Americans against a common threat.

With different leadership, it might have.

Instead, even as it spread from blue to red areas, attitudes broke down along familiar partisan lines. The virus also should have been a great leveler. You don’t have to be in the military or in debt to be a target—you just have to be human.

But from the start, its effects have been skewed by the inequality that we’ve tolerated for so long.

When tests for the virus were almost impossible to find, the wealthy and connected—the model and reality-TV host Heidi Klum, the entire roster of the Brooklyn Nets, the president’s conservative allies—were somehow able to get tested, despite many showing no symptoms.

The smattering of individual results did nothing to protect public health.

Meanwhile, ordinary people with fevers and chills had to wait in long and possibly infectious lines, only to be turned away because they weren’t actually suffocating. An internet joke proposed that the only way to find out whether you had the virus was to sneeze in a rich person’s face.

When Trump was asked about this blatant unfairness, he expressed disapproval but added, “Perhaps that’s been the story of life.”

Most Americans hardly register this kind of special privilege in normal times. But in the first weeks of the pandemic it sparked outrage, as if, during a general mobilization, the rich had been allowed to buy their way out of military service and hoard gas masks. As the contagion has spread, its victims have been likely to be poor, black, and brown people. The gross inequality of our health-care system is evident in the sight of refrigerated trucks lined up outside public hospitals.

Right now…

We now have two categories of work: essential and nonessential. Who have the essential workers turned out to be?

Mostly people in low-paying jobs that require their physical presence and put their health directly at risk: warehouse workers, shelf-stockers, Instacart shoppers, delivery drivers, municipal employees, hospital staffers, home health aides, long-haul truckers.

Doctors and nurses are the pandemic’s combat heroes, but the supermarket cashier with her bottle of sanitizer and the UPS driver with his latex gloves are the supply and logistics troops who keep the frontline forces intact.

In a smartphone economy that hides whole classes of human beings, we’re learning where our food and goods come from, who keeps us alive. An order of organic baby arugula on AmazonFresh is cheap and arrives overnight in part because the people who grow it, sort it, pack it, and deliver it have to keep working while sick.

For most service workers, sick leave turns out to be an impossible luxury. It’s worth asking if we would accept a higher price and slower delivery so that they could stay home.

Dangerous parasites

The pandemic has also clarified the meaning of nonessential workers. One example is Kelly Loeffler, the Republican junior senator from Georgia, whose sole qualification for the empty seat that she was given in January is her immense wealth. Less than three weeks into the job, after a dire private briefing about the virus, she got even richer from the selling-off of stocks, then she accused Democrats of exaggerating the danger and gave her constituents false assurances that may well have gotten them killed. Loeffler’s impulses in public service are those of a dangerous parasite.

A body politic that would place someone like this in high office is well advanced in decay.

Political Nihilism

The purest embodiment of political nihilism is not Trump himself but his son-in-law and senior adviser, Jared Kushner.

In his short lifetime, Kushner has been fraudulently promoted as both a meritocrat and a populist. He was born into a moneyed real-estate family the month Ronald Reagan entered the Oval Office, in 1981—a princeling of the second Gilded Age.

Despite Jared’s mediocre academic record, he was admitted to Harvard after his father, Charles, pledged a $2.5 million donation to the university.

Father helped son with $10 million in loans for a start in the family business, then Jared continued his elite education at the law and business schools of NYU, where his father had contributed $3 million.

Jared repaid his father’s support with fierce loyalty when Charles was sentenced to two years in federal prison in 2005 for trying to resolve a family legal quarrel by entrapping his sister’s husband with a prostitute and videotaping the encounter.

Jared Kushner failed as a skyscraper owner and a newspaper publisher, but he always found someone to rescue him, and his self-confidence only grew.

In American Oligarchs, Andrea Bernstein describes how he adopted the outlook of a risk-taking entrepreneur, a “disruptor” of the new economy. Under the influence of his mentor Rupert Murdoch, he found ways to fuse his financial, political, and journalistic pursuits. He made conflicts of interest his business model.

So when his father-in-law became president, Kushner quickly gained power in an administration that raised amateurism, nepotism, and corruption to governing principles.

As long as he busied himself with Middle East peace, his feckless meddling didn’t matter to most Americans. But since he became an influential adviser to Trump on the coronavirus pandemic, the result has been mass death.

In his first week on the job, in mid-March, Kushner co-authored the worst Oval Office speech in memory, interrupted the vital work of other officials, may have compromised security protocols, flirted with conflicts of interest and violations of federal law, and made fatuous promises that quickly turned to dust.

“The federal government is not designed to solve all our problems,” he said, explaining how he would tap his corporate connections to create drive-through testing sites.

They never materialized.

He was convinced by corporate leaders that Trump should not use presidential authority to compel industries to manufacture ventilators—then Kushner’s own attempt to negotiate a deal with General Motors fell through.

With no loss of faith in himself, he blamed shortages of necessary equipment and gear on incompetent state governors.

To watch this pale, slim-suited dilettante breeze into the middle of a deadly crisis, dispensing business-school jargon to cloud the massive failure of his father-in-law’s administration, is to see the collapse of a whole approach to governing.

It turns out that scientific experts and other civil servants are not traitorous members of a “deep state”—they’re essential workers, and marginalizing them in favor of ideologues and sycophants is a threat to the nation’s health.

It turns out that “nimble” companies can’t prepare for a catastrophe or distribute lifesaving goods—only a competent federal government can do that.

It turns out that everything has a cost, and years of attacking government, squeezing it dry and draining its morale, inflict a heavy cost that the public has to pay in lives.

All the programs defunded, stockpiles depleted, and plans scrapped meant that we had become a second-rate nation. Then came the virus and this strange defeat.

Our fight against the COVID-19

The fight to overcome the pandemic must also be a fight to recover the health of our country, and build it anew, or the hardship and grief we’re now enduring will never be redeemed.

Under our current leadership, nothing will change.

If 9/11 and 2008 wore out trust in the old political establishment, 2020 should kill off the idea that anti-politics is our salvation. But putting an end to this regime, so necessary and deserved, is only the beginning.

Facing a stark choice.

We’re faced with a choice that the crisis makes inescapably clear. We can stay hunkered down in self-isolation, fearing and shunning one another, letting our common bond wear away to nothing.

Or we can use this pause in our normal lives to pay attention to the hospital workers holding up cellphones so their patients can say goodbye to loved ones; the planeload of medical workers flying from Atlanta to help in New York; the aerospace workers in Massachusetts demanding that their factory be converted to ventilator production; the Floridians standing in long lines because they couldn’t get through by phone to the skeletal unemployment office; the residents of Milwaukee braving endless waits, hail, and contagion to vote in an election forced on them by partisan justices.

We can learn from these dreadful days that stupidity and injustice are lethal; that, in a democracy, being a citizen is essential work; that the alternative to solidarity is death. After we’ve come out of hiding and taken off our masks, we should not forget what it was like to be alone.

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Please kindly help me out in this effort. There is a lot of effort that goes into this disclosure. I could use all the financial support that anyone could provide. Thank you.

It is now official; The United States cannot be saved. It must be permitted to consume itself from within.

The United States is beyond saving. It has passed the threshold whereas punitive and preventative measures will no longer make a difference in the future course of events regarding American evolution.

Instead, it will continue to collapse. It will start to burn and then consume itself in the process. Eventually it will burnout. Perhaps in a decade or two. In the interm will be some testy and spicy times. 

This is the case because the Justice Department found that Hillary Clinton didn't commit ANY crimes.

MSN reports the Justice Department has released their findings in the Clinton investigation, finding what they expected to find. Namely and to wit: nothing.

A Justice Department inquiry launched more than two years ago to  mollify conservatives clamoring for more investigations of Hillary  Clinton has effectively ended with no tangible results, and current and  former law enforcement officials said they never expected the effort to produce much of anything. 
           ... They included the Clinton Foundation and Uranium One  matters, along with the FBI’s handling of the investigation into Hillary  Clinton’s use of a private email server while she was secretary of  state and alleged leaks by former FBI director James B. Comey.

This settles the matter. We’re not to speak of it again.

A review of the crimes…

Lying Under Oath in a Deposition
Lying Under Oath to a Grand Jury
Lying Under Oath as a Lawyer
Abuse of Power
Obstruction of Justice
Treason
Sedition
Corruption
Coercion
Graft
Bribe Solicitation
Taking Bribes
Bribery of Cabinent Members
Bribery of State Officials
Commercial Bribery
Commercial Bribery Recieving
Illegal Gift-Taking
Falsifying Business Records
Misapplication of Property
Criminal Use of a Computer
Misuse of Franking Privelege
Recieving Dual Compensation
Recieving Unlawful Gratuities
Malfeasance of Office
Perjury
Subornation of Perjury
Perjury by Inconsistent Statements
Criminal Trespass
Witness Intimidation
Witness Tampering
Jury Tampering
Tampering With Physical Evidence
Tampering With Public Records
Ethics Violations
Intentional Interference in the Administration of Justice
Refusing to Assist a Judicial Officer
Hindering Prosecution in the First Degree
Hindering Prosecution in the Second Degree
Unlawful Contact in the First Degree
Misrepresentation
Civil Contempt of Court
Criminal Contempt of Court
Contempt of Congress
Contempt of the American People
Deception
False Information or Report
False Accusation
False Testimony
Factually False Testimony
False Swearing
Unsworn Falsification
Misappropriating Funds
Misconduct
Marital Misconduct
Serious Misconduct
Professional Misconduct
Official Misconduct
Notorious Misconduct
Misconduct Involving a Controlled Substance
Obstruction of the Judicial Process
Misuse of Confidential Information
Interference With Official Proceedings
Recklessness
Grand Larceny
Extortion
Embezzlement
Vandalism
Blackmail
Cruelty to Animals
Obstruction of Highways
Substance Abuse
Evidence Suppression
Illegal Foriegn Campaign Funding
Aiding and Abetting Espionage
Aiding and Abetting Foriegn Dictators
Aiding and Abetting Arsonists
Aiding and Abetting a Known Felon
Aiding and Abetting Terrorists and Terrorist Organizations
Terroristic Threatening
Providing Material Support to Terrorists
Engaging in Transactions with Terrorists
Improper Exports of Sensitve Technology
Attempted Intimidation of Prosecutors
Failure to Declare Income
Failure to Investigate Drug Trafficking
Scheme to Defraud
Real Estate Fraud
Voter Fraud
Mail Fraud
Wire Fraud
Interstate Transportation to Defraud
Destruction of Business Records with Intent to Defraud
Criminalizing Frauds on Financial Institutions
Use of State Police for Personal Purposes
Illegal Loan Extraction
False Reports by Medical Examiners and Others Investigating Suspicious Deaths
Improper Futures Trading
Illegal Use of the Executive Branch
Character Defamation
Destruction of Evidence
Political Espionage
Money Laundering
Criminal Negligence
Possesion of False Papers
False Acknowledgment
False Declaration Before a Court
Wrongful Handling of Public Documents
Concealing or Covering Up of Material Fact
Misprison of Felony
Criminal Deception
Disclosure of Confidential Information
Failure to Account for Public Money
Recieving or Concealing Stolen Goverment Property
Failure to Deposit Federal Monies
Wrongful Solicitation of Embezzlement or Gifts
Use of a Public Building to Solicit Political Funds
Accepting Fee for Federal Employment
Offering to Procure an Appointive Public Office
Taking Illegal Kickbacks
Racketeering
Investing Racketeering Income
RICO Conspiracy
Conspiracy
Conspiracy to Conceal
Conspiracy to Murder
Conspiracy to Engage in Racketeering
Conspiracy to Defraud the Federal Government
Wrongful Destruction of War Records
Malicious Injury to Property
Acquiring an Enterprise Through Racketeering
Interstate Transportation of Stolen Property
Offering Gratuities or Graft to a Public Official
Soliciting or Accepting Illegal Gratuities
Offering Gratuities to a Witness
Seeking or Accepting Illegal Compensation
Influencing or Injuring Officers, Jurors or Witnesses
Obstructing Agency Proceedings
Obstructing Criminal Investigations
Threatening Victims, Witnesses or Informants
Harassing Victims, Witnesses or Informants
Retaliating Against Victims, Witnesses or Informants
Falsely Making or Forging a Public Record
Falsely Making or Forging a Document
Uttering or Publishing a False Public Record
Transmitting a False Record to the United States
Misuse of Government Files
Desecration of Federal Ethics Laws
Judicial Intimidation
Conflict of Interests
Illegal Campaign Activity
Misuse of Corporate Assets
Ordering Politically Motivated Audits
Ordering Politically Motivated Investigations
Timing of War Influenced by Political Considerations
Foreign Influence Peddling
Regular Influence Peddling
Providing False and Misleading Testimony
Misapplying Funds
Criminal Violation of the Privacy Act
Evisceration of the Right to Habeas Corpus
Misuse of Taxpayer Funds
Interfering with a Court Order
Theft of Government Property
Abuse of Taxpayer Financed Travel
Anti-American Espionage
Jeopardizing National Security
Aiding and Abetting Drug Traffic
Aiding and Abetting Organized Crime
Aiding and Abetting Terrorism
Murder by Accessory by Witness Tampering
Murder by Accessory by Forgery
Solicitation to commit murder by accessory
Accessory to Multiple Deaths
Accessory to Murder in the Second Degree
Accessory to Aggravated Murder
Accessory to Felony Murder
Accessory to Criminal Libel
Accessory to Unlawful Flight to Avoid Prosecution
Accessory to Arson
Accessory to Criminal Negligent Burning
Accessories After the Fact
Accessory to Abduction
Accessory to Causing Mental Harm to a Child
Custodial Interference in the First Degree
Child Endangerment
Cruelty to Persons
Sexual Harassment
Indecent Exposure in the Second Degree
Indecent Assault
Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress
Malicious Wounding
False Imprisonment
Sexual Abuse of Employees
Lewd and Lascivious Conduct
Exchange of Promotions or Benefits for Sexual Favors
First Degree Sexual Assault
Second Degree Sexual Assault
Third Degree Sexual Assault
Fourth Degree Sexual Assault
Unlawful Carnal Knowledge
Statutory Rape
Sexual Battery
Intent to Rape
Suspicion of Rape
Rape
Forcible Rape
Oral Copulation
Misdemeanor Sexual Assault
Sexual Misconduct in the First Degree
Criminal Sexual Conduct by Force and Coercion
Unlawful Sexual Contact
Unlawful Sexual Activity with a Minor
Consensual Digital Penetration
Lewd Proposal
Sexual Battery
Penetration by a Foriegn Object
Failure to Register as a Sexual Offender
Deriliction of Duty
Corrupting Public Discourse
Contributing to the Delinquincy of a Minor
Unfit to hold a law license
Conduct Unbecoming a President
Impersonating a Public Servant
Squandering the Public Trust

There’s a pretty good collection of information HERE.

According to the “experts” in the Judicial department, the FBI and the DOJ, Hillary Clinton is completely and absolutely innocent of any charges. There is no need to investigate further.

Let the just, and righteous woman live her life free of worry or concern. For she is innocent.

Some thoughts…

This reminds me of the movie “The Lawnmower man“.

There is a scene where a (very “sooped up”) lawnmower/tiller machine autonomously chases a guy into his house and up the stairs. It chews up everything. And, of course, kills the guy.

The detectives come to the crime scene and are aghast of all the gore and blood. The house is all torn up. Walls, floors, furniture are all reduced to kindling, and all soaked in gore and entrails.

But, just then, the “Lawnmower man” snaps his fingers and the detectives completely change. It’s like night and day.

“Nothing here.” They say as they are standing ankle deep in blood, gore and splinters. “It’s obviously just a suicide, it’s an open and shut case.”

Some links to more details on these crimes…

Yeah, but this isn’t Hollywood. It’s America and this is real life.

Here’s some links going into some detail about the crimes that he was part of. After all, even she thought that she was guilty.

"... former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said in a 2016 email to then-Acting Democratic National Committee Chairwoman Donna Brazile, 

“If that f**kin bastard wins, we’re all going to hang from nooses! You better fix this s**t!” 

-  WikiLeaks - Hillary Clinton Email Archive

Of course, Snopes proved that this email is just Fake News. So you can believe them, right?

The Judicial Opinion

Hillary Clinton did not commit any crimes. It is all a “witch hunt” against an innocent woman.

What this means

If the Average American can do hard time for operating a lemonade stand in their front yard, serve years as a felon for jay-walking, and spend decades in prison for having photos on their computers…

… while people like Hillary Clinton can break every law on the books and still be found absolutely innocent…

… then the Justice system no longer functions as an agent of justice. It has another role.

Deal with the situation.

As such, Americans can either [1] accept this fact, or [2] change it.

Knowing what I know of Americans, there will be a period of discomfort and then everyone will just soak the ground with kerosene and light it up. There will be no safe, and secure ways out of the mess that currently exists.

So you all might as well rest easy.

The future is all mapped out and Mr. Sessions, or Mr. Barr will not matter any longer. You might as well forget about “Q” and all the Alt-Right hyperbole. Nothing is going to get done. The USA is a big crime syndicate.

It is now official.

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Why America is unable to shake off the grip of the oligarchy that controls it, a great video that explains it all.

Now that President Trump has released almost all of the documentation related to the President Kennedy murder, a full picture surfaces. It’s an ugly one, indeed. We now know in full detail how the President was assassinated, who the people were who participated in it, who covered it up, and the motivations behind it. It’s very interesting, but a very long study because it touches on a number of principles that Americans are uncomfortable with…

The wealthy guard their money and power ruthlessly.
They have complete control of the American media.
They have complete control of the American police.
They have complete control of the American military.
They treat Americans as farm animals (cash cows).
They kill anyone that stands in their way.

The following video is a long one, but is very complete. Watch it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYyw8mDDqPE&feature=youtu.be

We can now see the entire state of affairs about what our nation is, what is actually stands for and how it actually operates. So when I speak about the “oligarchy”, it should be taken to mean…

Oligarchy = Secret American Government

And, as such… it has affected everything. From technology acquisition (MAJestic), to geopolitical interactions, to society. Our world, our nation, the life that we live is what has been created for us by this oligarchy.

Yupper.

Let that sink in.

There will be a reset of sorts within America, but how it will “play out” and evolve is anyone’s guess. What you can expect is that the oligarchy will not relinquish their control or power easily. That a return to a more democratic representative, or republican form of government is impossible without serious conflict. And, that there will be a period of discomfort during this adjustment period.

I do NOT know how it will evolve. Certainly there are both human and “other” elements that favor the status quo, and they will permit an enormous amount of strife, as long as they can control it’s outcome and utility.

Those that control the United States are far too powerful, too dangerous, and too ruthless for removal. As such, the individual must plan accordingly.

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The Largest Biological Attack In American History Occurred in Oregon at Public Salad Bars

Here we look at how easy it is to unleash biochemical and germ warfare on an unsuspecting public. Germs, dangerous germs, are easily cultivated. It can be anything from leaving a pizza unattended in a automobile trunk for a week in the Summer, to actually cultivating various strains of anthrax. Now, of course, most Americans would prefer to revolt against the evil oligarchy using the ballot box, or barring that, using the second amendment to the Bill of Rights. They are totally oblivious that simpler and more deadly options are available to them.

War by Salad Bar.

If we asked you to picture a biological weapons attack in America, you might think of the 2001 anthrax attacks. Or maybe some fictional scenario like the nefarious machinations of the Umbrella Corporation (personally, it reminds me of Facebook and Google). Yet, the biggest act of bio-terror in American history occurred at a series of salad bars — which, given how many people sneeze on them, are already a form of biological warfare.

The year was 1984.

Let’s go back to 1984.

Ronald Reagan was President. Everyone wore vibrant colored spandex, carried walkmans, and pastel deco interior decorations were the norm. Radio stations voluntarily played Huey Lewis and the News, and everyone was making tedious George Orwell jokes. No one really thought that it would actually come to pass.

And in far off Oregon a community of like-minded wacko’s began to contemplate taking over the state.

Popularly known as the Orange People because of their brightly coloured robes, Sannyasins were disciples of Indian guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh or Osho.

It’s true, and we tend to forget just how outlandish it actually was. Back then, the Rajneesh movement was starting to commit some pretty heinous crimes. You know, the kind of crimes that would later earn them that Netflix series.

The Rajneesh movement

Founded by Indian mystic Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, the Rajneeshees participated in an intensive syncretic spiritual movement that also made giant piles of money.

Wild Wild Country, Chapman and Maclain Way’s new Netflix docuseries, tells the story of Rajneeshpuram — a utopian commune established in rural Oregon in the early 1980s, by the the followers of Indian mystic Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh (later called Osho). The riveting series charts the escalating criminal activity that took place on the ranch, led by Bhagwan’s ruthless personal secretary Ma Anand Sheela, who adopts ever more extreme methods (poison, arson, and more) to oppose the forces — like the U.S. government — that she sees threatening their group. — *Wild Wild Country*, Chapman and Maclain Way’s new Netflix docuseries, tells the story of Rajneeshpuram — a utopian commune established in rural Oregon in the early 1980s, by the the followers of Indian mystic Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh (later called Osho). The riveting series charts the escalating criminal activity that took place on the ranch, led by Bhagwan’s ruthless personal secretary Ma Anand Sheela, who adopts ever more extreme methods (poison, arson, and more) to oppose the forces — like the U.S. government — that she sees threatening their group.

It was like Scientology, but with a lot of casual sex.

Many of his followers were instructed to have sex in front of him in order to discard their phobias.

-  This Oregon tantric sex cult committed the largest incidence of bioterrorism on U.S. soil

They were a complicated group, but for this story, all you need to know is that they fled India for Oregon. While in Oregon, they built a communal farming colony modestly named Rajneeshpuram.

Followers and their leader's mugshot. — Followers and their leader’s mugshot.

 The Oregonian series goes into great detail about many of the events  covered in "Wild Wild Country," including the poisoning of many people  in The Dalles, attempts to rig Wasco County elections by busing in  homeless people to vote, and murder plots against public officials and  Zaitz himself. The series also includes many details not covered in the  documentary. The story of the Rajneeshees is that complex. 

- Read The Oregonian's original 20-part investigative series on Rajneeshees

Over 7,000 people lived in what was essentially a small town, complete with restaurants and buses.

But residents of the neighboring towns didn’t like that they had their own militia that wandered around with submachine guns.

 In the beginning, though before it grew into a cult, Rajneesh had a  monastery in Poona. He appealed especially to westerners, teaching them  about tantric yoga. His followers (a large portion of them North  American celebrities) supposedly believed Rajneesh to be the “guru of  the vagina.” He allegedly slept with several of his female disciples,  taught his followers out of the ordinary sexual practices telling them  it would cure them of unrelated phobias, and instructed couples to have  sex in front of him. 

 -  This Oregon tantric sex cult committed the largest incidence of bioterrorism on U.S. soil

The Rajneeshees would also move into tiny communities, overwhelm the voting rolls, and pass laws that served their own purposes. Like when they voted to rename the town of Antelope as Rajneesh.

And we all know that 1980s small-towners just love this kind of thing.

The good people of Oregon prefer to be the only folks in the area wielding guns for their inevitable fight against the government, and so conflict ensued. And when the county denied the Rajneeshees some construction permits, the fighting got dirty.

The Rajneeshees would also move into tiny communities, overwhelm the voting rolls, and pass laws that served their own purposes. Like when they voted to rename the town of Antelope as Rajneesh.

First, 2,000 homeless people were bused in to help vote Rajneeshees into key government positions, but that failed because, contrary to what Fox News might tell you, you can’t simply pack a voting booth with random hobos.

Naturally, the next step was terrorism.

They targeted salad bars in The Dalles, the relatively large county seat, which couldn’t be overwhelmed with raw numbers like Antelope.

They tainted salad dressing, salsa, water, and produce with a salmonella-contaminated slurry. This germ warefare was pretty nasty and it sickened 751 people and hospitalized 45.

The goal was to put opposing voters out of commission, but somehow the plan backfired when suspicious locals instead turned out in force against their candidates.

While the Rajneeshee were preparing for their mystical leader’s arrival, and Sheela was driving them into excess, the native residents of Antelope were becoming restless.

“They’re invading,” said one local. “Maybe not with bullets, but with money and, um, immoral sex.”

Antelope was a small community, of about 40 people. Most were hunters and ranchers, who had lived in the town their entire lives. They were, for the most part, conservatives. Given its secluded location, the people of Antelope weren’t used to outsiders.

They especially weren’t used to 7,000 of them, all dressed in red, playing music and preaching free love and open sexual relationships. Before long, their welcoming, albeit hesitant, attitude had turned completely volatile. — While the Rajneeshee were preparing for their mystical leader’s arrival, and Sheela was driving them into excess, the native residents of Antelope were becoming restless.
“They’re invading,” said one local. “Maybe not with bullets, but with money and, um, immoral sex.” Antelope was a small community, of about 40 people. Most were hunters and ranchers, who had lived in the town their entire lives. They were, for the most part, conservatives. Given its secluded location, the people of Antelope weren’t used to outsiders. They especially weren’t used to 7,000 of them, all dressed in red, playing music and preaching free love and open sexual relationships. Before long, their welcoming, albeit hesitant, attitude had turned completely volatile.

Luckily, they weren’t able to pull off their original plan of using goddamn typhoid.

They dressed in red, worked without pay and idolized their  long-silver-bearded leader who would sit in front of them, silent. The  cult was at its height for the four years between 1981 and 1985. A  typical day was a mash-up of work, meditation, drugs, prayer and sex.  For Rajneesh and Patel, it was also a money-making scheme. Rajneesh is  reported to have owned rolex watches and 93 rolls royces all acquired  from the exploitation of his followers.

 Then things got worse. The guru wanted to grow his empire. He was  also dealing with a backlash from Oregon government and citizens. They  were suspicious of the activity happening on his land. They wanted them  out. So he pushed back. He devised a plan to put his followers in local  government—a plot to grow his following and have a position of power in  Oregon. He also wanted revenge against those who were making life  difficult for him. Many of the evil doings of Rajneesh and his cult were  under wraps until 25 years after the collapse of his cult. 

 -  This Oregon tantric sex cult committed the largest incidence of bioterrorism on U.S. soil

It wasn’t the only thing that they did. Not by a long shot.

First, they came up with a murder scheme. The leader sent Rajneeshees in to the hospital where local politician James Comini was staying. They were to slip poison into his IV.

The plan failed when they found that he wasn’t even hooked up to an IV. Years after this plot became known, Oregon citizens found out that they also stalked others in government.

A hunting magazine declared “open season” on the Rajneeshee, and locals began referring to them as Red Vermin, or Red Rats. Not helping the situation was the fact that the Rajneeshee had taken to patrolling the perimeter of their commune with machine guns and armored cars.

As the local’s hatred toward the Rajneeshee built, so did the Rajneeshees hatred of the locals. Eventually, the Rajneeshee overpowered the residents of Antelope, and several other towns, promptly renaming it Rajneesh.

When Sheela announced that the Rajneeshee had plans to build a city on a mountain, in 1984 the state intervened, denying the permits. In retaliation, Sheela announced plans to place Rajneeshee in the state legislature, bussing in several thousand homeless people from nearby areas to vote for her appointee. — A hunting magazine declared “open season” on the Rajneeshee, and locals began referring to them as Red Vermin, or Red Rats. Not helping the situation was the fact that the Rajneeshee had taken to patrolling the perimeter of their commune with machine guns and armored cars. As the local’s hatred toward the Rajneeshee built, so did the Rajneeshees hatred of the locals. Eventually, the Rajneeshee overpowered the residents of Antelope, and several other towns, promptly renaming it Rajneesh.
When Sheela announced that the Rajneeshee had plans to build a city on a mountain, in 1984 the state intervened, denying the permits. In retaliation, Sheela announced plans to place Rajneeshee in the state legislature, bussing in several thousand homeless people from nearby areas to vote for her appointee.

Then, in September of 1984, three years after the cult was established, the clan pulled off their germ warfare stunt.

As part of their scheme to get into government, they poisoned Oregon voters. The followers left their rural range and headed into populated areas slipping salmonella into salad bars and restaurant ingredients.

When the first incidents of salmonella were reported, it seemed to be a case of restaurant negligence. But as more and more people were found to have salmonella poisoning, officials noticed something was very wrong. There were 700 cases of the poisoning in the area—far too many for it to be considered a coincidence.

They traced the incident back to the cult member dressed in red. It is still known as the largest incident of bioterrorism on U.S. soil.

When the government raided Rajneeshpuram, they discovered a chemical warfare lab, a massive wire-tapping operation, and oh yeah, a plot to assassinate the U.S. Attorney for Oregon, because what the Rajneeshees lacked in competence, they made up for in persistence.

One of the restaurants that Ma Anand Sheela and the Rajneeshee contaminated with their “salsa.”

In 1895, after pleading guilty to entering the country without a visa, Bhagwan Rajneesh fled the commune. He called his followers a “gang of fascists,” openly blaming Sheela for the bioterrorism attack. It wasn’t until then that the government conducted a full investigation and realized the extent of the crimes that Sheela was planning.

Within the compound, there was evidence of several more biological weapons, and a detailed plan to assassinate Charles Turner, a U.S. attorney in Oregon. As hundreds of the Rajneeshee fled, others simply wondered how the peaceful, loving, expressive group they had joined had gone so wrong.

Armed with the evidence from the compound, Ma Anand Sheela was arrested and brought to trial. She was sentenced to 20 years in prison for her crimes but released after 39 months.

Ma Anand Sheela claims, to this day, from her home in Switzerland, that she acted at the behest of Rajneesh, that she was in love Rajneesh, and that everything she did was in the interest of Rajneesh. — One of the restaurants that Ma Anand Sheela and the Rajneeshee contaminated with their “salsa.” In 1895, after pleading guilty to entering the country without a visa, Bhagwan Rajneesh fled the commune. He called his followers a “gang of fascists,” openly blaming Sheela for the bioterrorism attack. It wasn’t until then that the government conducted a full investigation and realized the extent of the crimes that Sheela was planning. Within the compound, there was evidence of several more biological weapons, and a detailed plan to assassinate Charles Turner, a U.S. attorney in Oregon. As hundreds of the Rajneeshee fled, others simply wondered how the peaceful, loving, expressive group they had joined had gone so wrong.
Armed with the evidence from the compound, Ma Anand Sheela was arrested and brought to trial. She was sentenced to 20 years in prison for her crimes but released after 39 months. Ma Anand Sheela claims, to this day, from her home in Switzerland, that she acted at the behest of Rajneesh, that she was in love Rajneesh, and that everything she did was in the interest of Rajneesh.

It’s thanks to that attack that the cult collapsed. Patel was sentenced to ten years in prison for the poisonings. Rajneesh was deported. Patel served the first three years of her sentence before she too was deported off U.S. soil. Rajneesh died young in 1990. As for the ranch, that was converted to a Christian camp. It didn’t stay that way. A fire in 1996 destroyed all the structures created by the Rajneeshee cult.

Conclusion to this story.

That raid mostly ended the movement, and Rajneesh himself died in 1990, although there are still some far less murderous Rajneeshees out there today running generic meditation movements.

Oh, and the mastermind of these plots, Ma Anand Sheela, is now out of jail, so maybe check to see if she’s visited your area lately before you order that Cobb salad.

If you enjoyed this story, you might like to read other articles of a similar vein. You can access the index here…

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Why neocons are so adamant on maintaining proxy wars all over the globe.

This article connects hawkish neocons with outrageous theft of enormous amounts of money. They sponsor a war, people die, and they cart away pallet loads of money. This has happened time and time again, but few talk about it. But it’s a real thing, and it’s a real problem. Here we talk about it.

Executive summary

When there is a war, there is a great deal of confusion. The nation involved in the strife loses control of their assets, and the attacking forces live in a period of confusion. Funds, often enormous, are poured into the region, to help “stabilize” it. However, the fact remains that the funds, the moneys and all the banks in the disputed combat areas are all “up for grabs”. Thus offering an enormous bonanza for the people who are involved in the subjugation of a given region.

It becomes a wonderful mechanism for military leaders, and politicians, to become enormously wealthy within a short period of time.

War is a way for politicians to become insanely wealthy in a short period of time.

And as such, the United States has turned this into a racket.

The basis for this article

This article was inspired by another article titled; The case of the missing $6.6 billion. In which the author Bill Ardolino asked on June 13th, 2011 what happened to the billions of dollars in “humanitarian aid”, and “infrastructure investments” that the United States gave to Iraq to rebuild their nation.

He argued that Iraq still looks like a pile of mud huts with pot-hole filled dirt roads and a nation devoid of any kind of serious infrastructure rivaling that of before the Iraq conflict. He is right.

Iraq is a big mess with no obvious reconstructive efforts by any measurable degree. What happened? Where did the money go, and why are Americans still expected to pick up the tab?

Billions of dollars. Billions.

Pallets of US currency arriving in Iraq. Source: US Congress, House Committee on Government Reform.

Q Chimes in

The Corrupt System Has Been Ripping Off the US Taxpayer                                                    
Q!!mG7VJxZNCI                           
24 Nov 2019 - 4:24:25 AM                                                
                                                https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WNqKhRcpktU📁
[16:00]
"Are we going to be sending massive amounts of money that simply goes into other people's [personal] bank account(s) [theft]." - POTUS

Who audits where foreign aid actually goes? 
Nobody.

Foreign aid > Country [X] > Personal Bank Accts [+US person(s) involved].

Think Iran.
Think Paris Accord [attempt].
Think All.
Corrupt system. 

Do you think [GS] is spending his own money re: push of radical viewpoint adoption? 

US TAXPAYER payments [aid] > directly/indirectly [GS] organizations? 

Re-read drops re: 'Foreign Aid'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G2qIXXafxCQ&feature=youtu.be📁
[Listen carefully]

RETURNING POWER TO THE PEOPLE.
DRAINING THE SWAMP.
POTUS IS FIGHTING FOR YOU.

It's been a long time since we've had a non_corrupt POTUS who cares for the people, and not himself.
Q

That’s “billion,” with a “B”:

After the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in March 2003, the  George W. Bush administration flooded the conquered country with so much  cash to pay for reconstruction and other projects in the first year  that a new unit of measurement was born.

Pentagon officials determined that one giant C-130 Hercules cargo  plane could carry $2.4 billion in shrink-wrapped bricks of $100 bills.  They sent an initial full planeload of cash, followed by 20 other  flights to Iraq by May 2004 in a $12-billion haul that U.S. officials  believe to be the biggest international cash airlift of all time. 

This month, the Pentagon and the Iraqi government are finally closing  the books on the program that handled all those Benjamins. But despite  years of audits and investigations, U.S. Defense officials still cannot  say what happened to $6.6 billion in cash — enough to run the Los  Angeles Unified School District or the Chicago Public Schools for a  year, among many other things.

And it’s not only the “humanitarian funds” send by well-wishing Americans and generous Congressmen, but rather the entire gold bullion of the nation in strife…

Gaddaf al-Dam recalled that in 2011, the Libyan state had approximately $600 billion worth of assets inside and outside the country, including $200 billion in bank accounts abroad, along with tons of gold and silver. Six years on, all of this has been plundered. "During these six years, not a single brick has been laid. The streets of the capital have no electricity, the water supply has been turned off, wages are not paid." Schools are not functioning. "This all a time bomb, and poses a threat to the future." — Gaddaf al-Dam recalled that in 2011, the Libyan state had approximately $600 billion worth of assets inside and outside the country, including $200 billion in bank accounts abroad, along with tons of gold and silver. Six years on, all of this has been plundered. “During these six years, not a single brick has been laid. The streets of the capital have no electricity, the water supply has been turned off, wages are not paid.” Schools are not functioning. “This all a time bomb, and poses a threat to the future.”

The post-invasion chaos in Iraq was severe enough that massive sums of money regularly went missing, the majority (is) thought to have found its way into the pockets of those Iraqis who were early to adopt dialogue with Coalition forces.

Some of it undoubtedly funded the insurgency.

American neocons love wars because they can plunder without consequence, and they can become enormously wealthy in the process. We are not talking about a nice mansion. We are talking about purchasing hundreds of mansions for one corrupt neocon politician.

In 2008, an Iraqi politician told the LWJ his positive assessment that the “major” corruption, the deals worth “hundreds of millions of dollars,” were over.

But he anticipated that the “middle to lower-level corruption will continue for a long time and will be a huge problem.” This was progress of a depressing sort, I thought at the time.

Last we heard, Iraqi's gold was all taken by the Americans already, immediately after the Iraq invasion. The gold now was bought by the new Iraq army by selling the weapons they received from American military aid. I'm sure ISIL would've preferred to have those weapons instead of this gold. — Last we heard, Iraqi’s gold was all taken by the Americans already, immediately after the Iraq invasion. The gold now was bought by the new Iraq army by selling the weapons they received from American military aid. I’m sure ISIL would’ve preferred to have those weapons instead of this gold.

The lack of effective accounting controls in place to manage Iraqi use of funds, both oil receipts and international aid, was shocking then, and continued to surprise, despite noticeable improvements at the ministry and ground levels.

A relevant amount of corruption along the lines of baksheesh and “ghost soldiers” is culturally inevitable in Iraq, but the fact that individuals and organizations could steal that quantity of money is a big deal, and potentially very harmful to US security interests.

It almost goes without saying that billions can buy lots of people, Kalashnikovs and IED components.

In fact, the best case scenario is that a number of Americans, Iraqi political figures, and Iraqi businessmen are merely living incredibly large off ill-gotten gains and pumping most of the money into the economies of Jordan and Dubai.

Fingers crossed.

Moon over Alabama adds his two cents…

The Washington Post liberated some 2,000 pages of more than 400 interview transcripts and summaries from the Office of the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR). The interviews were with officials and soldiers involved in the war on Afghanistan.

Reading through the three part series on the papers is depressing. The opinions and narrations of the insiders are, as could be expected, devastating:

“We were devoid of a fundamental understanding of Afghanistan — we didn’t know what we were doing,” Douglas Lute, a three-star Army general who served as the White House’s Afghan war czar during the Bush and Obama administrations, told government interviewers in 2015. He added: “What are we trying to do here? We didn’t have the foggiest notion of what we were undertaking.”

Since 2001 the U.S. has spent more than $1 trillion on Afghanistan. Most of the money has flown back to 'contractors' in the United States. A significant part, whatever bribes and corruption would generate, was invested by Afghan officials in real estate in Dubai.

In public, U.S. officials insisted they had no tolerance for graft. But in the Lessons Learned interviews, they admitted the U.S. government looked the other way while Afghan power brokers — allies of Washington — plundered with impunity. Christopher Kolenda, an Army colonel who deployed to Afghanistan several times and advised three U.S. generals in charge of the war, said that the Afghan government led by President Hamid Karzai had “self-organized into a kleptocracy” by 2006 — and that U.S. officials failed to recognize the lethal threat it posed to their strategy.

Little of the money reached the common people of Afghanistan. Where it did it was wasted on projects that Afghanistan will never be able to sustain. The corruption is one reason why many Afghans tolerate or even favor Taliban rule.

- Some Truth About The War On Afghanistan

The United States government responds.

Well, having the claim that neocons and the government are after gold and riches does not fit the narrative that those in power want to project. They want to keep on continuing with their plunder unabated. So they utilize “fact checking” organizations to validate their narrative (and they pay them handsomely, don’t you know.)

Here’s a link to their version of the story. Note that it does not address the lack of infrastructure growth, new public works, or anything that they infrastructure investment is supposed to create. All they do is say… “Nah. It’s false, don’t you know.”

Did the United States steal trillions of dollars of gold and oil?

And here is an expose on the story behind one such “fact checking organization”. Know who you are dealing with and what is going on, why don’t you.

The history of plundering gold…

All attribution to JMBullion.com with this graphic.

A certain degree of error is expected and excusable in the circumstances of post-invasion Iraq.

But $6.6 billion-worth is not.

Soldiers can become enormously wealthy by plundering the banks of the land that they seize. They can also acquire all the money sent from home for humanitarian reasons and purposes. They can "pocket" it and build a couple of hundred mansions and hire security guards to protect their gains. — Soldiers can become enormously wealthy by plundering the banks of the land that they seize. They can also acquire all the money sent from home for humanitarian reasons and purposes. They can “pocket” it and build a couple of hundred mansions and hire security guards to protect their gains.

SHTF and Related Index

The Climax of the Fourth Turning in 2025.

2025 - the Fourth Turning Crisis - A nuclear response

Historically, how preppers failed during periods of turmoil.

What is planned for American Conservatives - Part 2

What is going to happen to conservatives - Part 3.

What is planned for conservatives - part 4

What is in store for Conservatives - part 5

What is in store for conservatives - part 6

We can no longer build. As we enter the Fourth Turning.

America is no longer a nation. When you cannot enforce a border, enforce laws, and prosecute criminals, you no longer have a nation. America is no longer a nation. It might still be the remains of a once great empire, sort of like Rome was after the Vandals sacked it, but as a functioning nation, it is no longer. When you cannot enforce a border, enforce laws, and prosecute criminals, you no longer have a nation. I argue that the United States is no longer a nation. Forget about being a nation that follows the Constitution. Rather, I argue that it is not longer a nation in the crudest, simplest, and most primitive terms. What it is is up for debate. But, a nation... no it is not.

A reassessment of American republican democracy.

Some prepper humor…

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Yeah. RIP Bogie. Others have commented that my little stories at the start of these posts tend to trigger memories.…

RIP, Bogie. Funny thing is, I've been remembering (reminiscing? Not something I'm prone to usually, ugh!) some dogs that used…

Sounds about right. People do very dumb and dangerous things in their young years, and they can end up literally…

Icy, and cold. Ah. "The sun never shines in Syracuse". LOL. -MM

How was Syracuse University?

The results of the BRICS summit are great, isolation as a weapon of the USA has been defeated forever — Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Maria Zakharova

WOW!! OLIVER ANTHONY I WANT TO GO HOME (EMOTIONAL)

Au Jus Beef and Noodles

Ingredients

Instructions

Notes

Reacting to Oliver Anthony – “Rich Men North of Richmond” | Wilson Brothers

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US policy slowing down China’s economy w/ Jeffrey Sachs

Beef Burgundy

Ingredients

Instructions

Scott Ritter clip on what the Pentagon Generals told the White House.

War in Ukraine map – 14MAY22

Marshall Tucker Band “Can’t You See” @Epcot 05/10/2019

Russia To Halt Electricity Exports To Finland On Saturday | OilPrice.com

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1965 Cadillac Coupe DeVille

United States Navy Capability 2022

Travel out of China halted as Xi Jinping doubles down on zero COVID

Victor Berlemont, a French publican working in an establishment of London’s Soho, circa 1939.

China making it’s place on the globe

Kodachrome Stories

How to Make Butter-Basted Fish Fillets with Garlic and Thyme

“POLAND NEXT?”

Briefing: analysis of documents related to the military biological activities of the United States on the territory of Ukraine May 11, 2022

MM Comments

Gregg Allman – Laid Back Era

Kodachrome Stories

The Number Of Rich Americans Buying Second Passports Has Skyrocketed 300% The Last 3 Years

Gimme Shelter – Apocalypse Now Music Video

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Easy, Fall-off-the-Bone Chicken Wings Dinner | 鸡翅这样做太香了，全程小技巧

‘An Engine That Does Not Work’: F-35 Program Office Lambasted For Stealth-Jets Poor Performance

United States eyes Cambodia

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Metals Access

Empire of Bioweapon Lies

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This is the tastiest chicken breast I’ve ever eaten! Simple, cheap and very juicy!

Ukraine Tonight: “Most Violent Rocket and Artillery Attacks in 8 years”

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‘Easy Target For Chinese Subs’ – Why China’s New Attack Submarine With VLS Could ‘Deeply Endanger’ IAF Bases

Comments:

Glamorous Vintage Camper

Heading To Scrapyard! US Navy To Discard Its ‘Brand New’ Warships Designed To Hunt Chinese Submarines

Do You Have Jason Bourne in Custody? | The Bourne Supremacy

Watch “War of the Three Kingdoms Episode 1” on YouTube

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MM Articles & Links

A happy ending

If I were to host a movie party…

Now for some fun

And a Christmas girl…

Sexy video 1

Sexy video 2

Sexy girl 3 plus a fine pussy.

And some real deal fun . fun . fun.

Finally…

Do you want more?

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Do you want more?

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Background

What started this discussion

And I do live in Zhuhai

But then again, let’s be real.

Some examples

Let’s be real

The crack down on pollution

China is very beautiful

Airplane vapor trails

Blue skies everywhere

Conclusions

And here’s a great image of a roadside rest area. Check it out.

Other possible reasons

BREAKING NEWS: TURKEY MAY VETO ENTRY OF FINLAND & SWEDEN INTO NATO